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Canada’s woes continued on Saturday as Romania came away 25-9 winners at Ellerslie Park. It stretches Canada’s losing streak to five games ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers against the USA. Adding to their misery was that Canada spent nearly half the match with a one-man advantage after Romanian hooker Otar Turashvili was sent off in the 23rd minute for a blatant punch on Tyler Ardron. Despite this Canada managed to score only three points while conceding 13.
Gordon McRorie opened the game’s scoring with a penalty goal in the 11th minute but Romania broke free for a try soon after. Turashvili barged ahead with his offloading hitting Johan van Heerden in full flight. The big second row had Viorel Lucaci alongside to finish off the textbook two-on-one.
With the score 7-3 for Romania the game paused for several minutes as the referee asked the TMO to review an act of foul play but found himself unable to connect with the radios. The fourth official improvised with a cell phone and once the decision finally game Turashvili was shown red for a punch to the face of Ardron off the ball. Ardron was deemed to have instigated the altercation by holding the Romanian player on the ground and received a yellow for his troubles.
McRorie took full advantage of the resulting penalty with a successful kick at goal. DTH van der Merwe then looked to have crossed in the corner but the TMO was again consulted and the winger’s foot was found to be in touch before the touchdown. Canada were also dealt a cruel blow when Conor Trainor went down with an injury that must surely throw his participation in the USA series in doubt. Romania scraped through to the half with a one-point lead.
The second half could not have started worse for Canada as Fonovai Tangimana over for a try within a minute of the restart. Vlaicu converted and then exchanged penalty goals with McRorie before another incident landed van der Merwe in hot water. While chasing a kick the Canadian co-captain connected with a head-high tackle on Ionut Dumitru and earned a 10-minute rest.
A second try for Tangimana came just after the hour when a box kick was left to bounce off the floor and into the open arms of the Romanian backline. Two classy offloads later and it was over the line for a crushing score. Vlaicu rubbed further salt in the wounds late in the game.
With no time left to work out tactics or combinations Canada must now manufacture confidence during training the week as the USA arrive in Hamilton for the first of the two-game series to determine the Americas 1 representative for the 2019 World Cup. Romania meanwhile return home to Bucharest where they will close out their June international program with a one-off match against Brazil.
SCORING
CANADA 9
Pens – G. McRorie 3/4 (11’, 24’, 47’)
Yellow cards – T. Ardron (23’), D. van der Merwe (55’)
ROMANIA 25
Tries – V. Lucaci (17’), F. Tangimana 2 (41’, 62’)
Cons – F. Vlaicu 2/3 (18’, 42’)
Pens – F. Vlaicu 2/3 (53’, 73’)
Reds cards – O. Turashvili (23’)
TEAMS
CANADA
1 Anthony Luca (17 Djustice Sears-Duru 49’), 2 Ray Barkwill (16 Benoît Pifféro 63’), 3 Matt Tierney (18 Ryan Ackerman 63’), 4 Brett Beukeboom (co-capt.), 5 Evan Olmstead, 6 Tyler Ardron, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Aaron Carpenter (19 Conor Keys HT {20 Kyle Baillie 58’}), 9 Gordon McRorie (21 Phil Mack 63’), 10 Connor Braid, 11 Dan Moor, 12 Nick Blevins (22 Shane O’Leary 53’), 13 Conor Trainor (23 Andrew Coe 29’), 14 DTH van der Merwe (co-capt.), 15 Ciaran Hearn
ROMANIA
1 Ionel Badiu (17 Constantin Pristavita 65’), 2 Otar Turashvili, 3 Andrei Ursache (18 Alexandru Tarus 65’), 4 Johan van Heerden, 5 Valentin Poparlan, 6 Vlad Nistor (16 Andrei Radoi 26’), 7 Viorel Lucaci (20 Andrei Gorcioaia 71’), 8 Mihai Macovei (capt.), 9 Florin Surugiu, 10 Florin Vlaicu, 11 Ionut Dumitru (23 Marius Simionescu 77’), 12 Sione Faka’osilea, 13 Paula Kinikinilau, 14 Fonovai Tangimana, 15 Luke Samoa
Not used: 19 Marius Antonescu, 21 Tudorel Bratu, 22 Vladut Popa
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
Assistants: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
TMO: AN Other
