Romania the final qualifier for RWC 2011
Romania have become the 20th and final qualifier for Rugby World Cup 2011 after overcoming Uruguay 39-12 before a passionate and vocal home crowd at the stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest on Saturday.
The two sides had been locked at 21-21 after the first leg in Montevideo a fortnight ago, but Romania produced an impressive display to take their place in New Zealand alongside Argentina, England, Scotland and Georgia in Pool B.
The perfect script had been set for the 184th and final qualifier of a process that began back in April 2008, but Romania were determined to preserve their ever present record on the Rugby World Cup stage and make their experience count.
Two thousand additional seats had been added to the intimate Bucharest venue for this winner takes all qualifier and the atmosphere was understandably electric before kick-off with a huge cheer greeting the home side as they ran out to warm up.
Romania were expected to make home advantage count against a youthful Uruguayan outfit, but the nerves were very evident in the opening minutes with the Oaks making three handling errors inside four minutes to the frustration of their supporters.
Fly half Dan Dumbrava missed an early penalty attempt that would have settled those nerves, but Romania made no mistake in the ninth minute when they spread the Uruguayan defence with centre Csaba Gal powering through to touch down.
Dumbrava kicked the conversion and just three minutes later the Romanian lead was doubled when Alain Rolland, the RWC 2007 Final referee, awarded the home side a penalty try to the delight of the crowd clad in the national colours.
Things got worse for Uruguay, bidding to avoid a second successive aggregate loss in the final place play-off after their one-point heartbreak against Portugal in 2007, when second row Diego Magno was sin-binned in the 22nd minute.
Romania quickly made the man advantage count, number 8 Alexandru Manta touching down, just as he had done in the first leg in Montevideo a fortnight ago. Dumbrava added the conversion and the score remained at 21-0 to half-time.
With their Rugby World Cup 2011 dream seemingly in tatters it was vital that Uruguay got the next score if there was to be any way back, but instead it was Romania with a Dumbrava penalty to increase their advantage.
Uruguay did finally get themselves on the scoreboard with centre Martin Crosa’s try, but there was to be no comeback to savour, Romania wing Catalin Fercu touching down for the home side’s fourth try.
Replacement Ivo Dugonjic scored a second try for Uruguay, but there was still time on the clock for Romania to score again in the corner through Madalin Lemnaru, his fellow replacement Valentin Calafeteanu curling in the conversion and then adding a late penalty.
Romania’s place at Rugby World Cup 2011 had already been confirmed long before, but as the final whistle was blown by Rolland the noise was deafening, not only from the crowd but also the fireworks that lit up the Bucharest night sky.
There was another reason to smile for Marius Tincu, one of Romania's star players on the day, as the hooker learned after the final whistle that his wife had given birth to a daughter that morning.
Pool A
* New Zealand
* France
* Tonga
* Canada
* Japan
Pool B
* Argentina
* England
* Scotland
* Georgia
* Romania
Pool C
* Australia
* Ireland
* Italy
* Russia
* USA
Pool D
* South Africa
* Wales
* Fiji
* Samoa
* Namibia
