Uruguay Hand Romania Record-Breaking Loss

Uruguay handed Romania a record-breaking loss on Saturday. The 70-8 result was Uruguay biggest ever win against a Tier 2 opponent and Romania’s biggest ever defeat against a Tier 2 opponent. Los Teros were clinical in their performance as they entered their winning-streak over Romania to four matches.

The match was Uruguay’s first fixture of 2025. It came after Peñarol were crowned Super Rugby Americas 2025 champions and also after Romania had successfully qualified for Rugby World Cup 2027. Uruguay did not have a warm-up match; in fact, Uruguay’s prior match was a win against Romania in Bucharest in November, 2024.

World Rugby allocated Europe 4 direct spots via qualifiers while South America was only allocated 1. Romania’s South American tour asks serious questions over World Rugby’s handling of the qualifiers. Chile were 40-17 winners and Uruguay 70-8 winners. Both results were record wins for the South American countries against Romania.

Uruguay’s humbling of Romania at the Estadio Charrúa saw flanker Santiago Civetta scoring two early tries. Fullback Juan Gonzalez also scored twice while tries to Bautista Basso and Manuel Diana meant the game was over at half-time with Uruguay holding a 39-8 lead.

The South Americans kept Romania scoreless in the second-half and furthered their lead. González completed a hat-trick while center Felipe Arcos Pérez and scrum-half Santiago Álvarez both scored tries and Basso added to his first-half try with one in the second-half. Replacements Manuel Ardao and Reinaldo Piussi also both touched down in the try zone for Los Teros.

The Romanians now travel to Buenos Aires to conclude their South American tour against the Argentina XV. Los Teros also travel to Argentina; they face Los Pumas in Salta in their final match before the Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

SCORING

URUGUAY (70)
TRY – S Civetta (2); J González (3); B Basso (2); M Diana; F Arcos Pérez; M Ardao; R Piussi
CON – F Etcheverry (3); S Álvarez (3)
PEN – F Etcheverry

ROMANIA (8)
TRY – A Bucur
PEN – A Mitrea
YC – A Savin; I Hartig

LINE-UPS

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Facundo Gattas, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Manuel Leindekar (capt.), 6 Santiago Civetta, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Ignacio Álvarez, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Bautista Basso, 15 Juan González

Replacements: 16 Germán Kessler, 17 Francisco Suárez, 18 Reinaldo Piussi, 19 Ignacio Dotti, 20 Manuel Ardao, 21 Juan Manuel Tafernaberry, 22 Ícaro Amarillo, 23 Joaquín Suárez

 

ROMANIA
1 Iulian Hartig, 2 Tudor Butnariu, 3 Thomas Crețu, 4 Adrian Moțoc, 5 Andrei Mahu, 6 Cristi Boboc (capt.), 7 Nicolaas Immelman, 8 Damian Strătilă, 9 Vlăduț Bocăneț, 10 Ștefan Cojocariu, 11 Taliauli Sikuea, 12 Fonovai Tangimana, 13 Antonio Mitrea, 14 Alexandru Bucur, 15 Alexandru Harasim

Replacements: 16. Lukas Mitu, 17 Alexandru Savin, 18 Gheorghe Gajion, 19 Yanis Horvat, 20 Florian Roșu, 21 Toma Mîrzac, 22 Tudor Boldor, 23 David Rafael Florea Jilăveanu

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Federico Vedovelli (IT) and Cauã Ricardo (BR)
TMO: Marcelo Pilaro (AR)