Uruguay extend winning streak over Romania

Uruguay were 31-21 winners over Romania at the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest on Saturday. The result sees Los Teros extending their winning streak over Romania to five test matches.

The match was the final fixture of 2025 for both the Stejarii and Los Teros. It was played less than two weeks before the draw for Rugby World Cup 2027. Uruguay’s wins over Portugal and Romania in November confirmed the South Americans for Band 3 of the draw. Romania’s mixed results mean the Stejarii will be in Band 4. The two teams could thus be in the same pool at Australia 2027.

Los Teros had the better of play for the most part throughout the contest. In both halves the South Americans saw the scoresheet growing in their favor before the Stejarii responded. The half-time score was 14-0 with-time up but Romania scored with the clock in the red for a 21-07 scoreline at the game’s mud-way point.

Uruguay’s eto first-half points featured breaks. The first saw N8 Manuel Diana ring from the base of a scrum and getting past two defenders. His back-row colleague, Manuel Ardao provided support and was tackled meters out from the try zone. Quick ball then saw hooker Germán Kessler scoring under the posts.

The second try also involved Ardao. The flanker made a break up field before scrum-half Santiago Álvarez sized-up the options and kicked for Bautista Basso to chase. The winger latched-on to the ball to score. Álvarez converted from a difficult angle.

The Stejarii were frustrated with the score and also with having had a disallowed try. However, they opened their scoring three minutes beyond regulation time in the first-half. Former Moldova test player, Gheorghe Gajion scored following an attacking lineout to maul from a 5 meter penalty.

Uruguay canceled out Gajion’s try by scoring three minutes into the second-half. Felipe Aliaga won an attacking lineout and Los Teros set-up a diving maul. They drove to within inches of the try zone and Manuel Diana picked-up to score.

Romania responded twelve minutes later. With Carlos Deus having been yellow carded, the home side made the one-man advantage work in their favor. South African Nicolaas Immelman scored from close range. Scrum-half Alin Conache added the conversion for a 21-14 scoreline.

Santiago Álvarez delivered in the absence of Santiago Arata. In addition to marshaling the troops well, he was also deadly accurate with his goal-kicking. He added a penalty for some breathing space for Los Teros.

Uruguay then sealed the win on 67 minutes. A lineout to maul move saw Uruguay rampaging forward with replacement hooker Joaquín Myszka scoring. Álvarez landed the conversion for a 31-14 lead.

The win was secured but it came with a cost as replacement tight head prop Ignacio Péculo left with a suspected broken arm. Meanwhile, Romania’s replacement tight head prop, Thomas Crețu, found his way over. His score meant the teams were separated by 10 points and it remained as such until full-time.

• With the win, Uruguay is on a five match winning-streak against Romania.
• Uruguay rise to 14th in the World Rankings, a record high.
• Uruguay are confirmed for Band 3 of the seedings for the RWC 2027 draw. Romania will be in Band 4.
• 11/23 (47.83%) of Romania’s players in the match are not homegrown. They are Gheorghe Gajion and Andrei Mahu (Moldova), Thomas Crețu and Nicolas Onuțu (France), Tevita Manumua and Fonovai Tangimana (Tonga), Nicolaas Immelman (South Africa), Robert Irimescu (USA), Iliesa Tiqe (Fiji), Jason Tomane (Australia) and Hinckely Vaovasa (New Zealand).
• Andrei Mahu and Gheorghe Gajion were born and raised in Moldova. Both switched to Romania after formerly playing test rugby for Moldova.
• Uruguay has 20/23 (86.96%) homegrown players. The exceptions are the trio of rookies Francisco Súarez (Argentina), Francisco González Capdevila (Argentina) and Jean Cotarmanac’h (France). All are parent qualified for Uruguay.

ROMANIA (21)
TRY – G Gajion, N Immelman, T Crețu
CON – A Conache (3)
YC – V Balan

URUGUAY (31)
TRY – G Kessler, B Basso, M Diana, J Myszka
CON – S Álvarez (4)
PEN -S Álvarez
YC – C Deus

 

ROMANIA
1 Alexandru Savin, 2 Tudor Butnariu, 3 Gheorghe Gajion, 4 Marius Antonescu, 5 Andrei Mahu (capt.), 6 Cristi Boboc, 7 Nicolaas Immelman, 8 Cristi Chirica, 9 Alin Conache, 10 Hinckely Vaovasa, 11 Tevita Manumua, 12 Jason Tomane, 13 Nicolas Onuțu, 14 Iliesa Tiqe, 15 Ovidiu Neagu

Replacements: 16 Robert Irimescu, 17 Vasile Balan, 18 Thomas Crețu, 19 Vlad Neculau, 20 Kemal Altinok, 21 Gabriel Rupanu, 22 Paul Popoaia, 23 Fonovai Tangimana

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Perillo, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Reinaldo Piussi, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Manuel Leindekar (capt.), 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Santiago Civetta, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Juan Manuel Alonso, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Joaquín Suárez, 14 Bautista Basso, 15 Francisco González Capdevila

Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France)
Assistant Referees: Ben Breakspear (Wales); Kevin Bralley (France)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)