Romanian squad for Wales

Romania play Wales at Millennium Stadium on Friday evening, their only match before the European Nations Cup ("Six Nations B") starts in February.

Most of the Oaks play outside of Romania. In fact those playing in Romania are Bogdan Zebega, Valentin Ursache, Florin Tatu, Iulian Andrei, Valentin Calafeteanu, Ioan Teodorescu, Vasile Ghioc, Bogdan Voicu, Flavius Dobre, Dan Dumbrava, Ionut Dimofte.

Perpignan loose forward George Oprisor, flank Bogdan Balan and scrumhalf Valentin Calafeteanu, who played for Romania in the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in March, are uncapped players.

Others with little experience are centre Flavius Dobre, who played in that horrible match when England beat Romania 134-0, hooker Bogdan Zebega, Valentin Ursache and Ionut Dimofte.

The big loss is that of Toulouse prop Dragos Dima who has been injured and suffered an operation. The most experienced players are former captain Romeo Gontineac (57 caps), prop Petru Balan (39 caps), who did so well at the World Cup, scrumhalf Lucien Sirbu, another star at the World Cup, delicate flyhalf Ionut Tofan, Valentin Maftei (32 caps), Cristian Sauan (26 caps) and Petrisor Toderasc (24 caps).

In June this year under their new coach, Frenchman Daniel Santamans, the Oaks caused an upset by beating Italy in Bucharest.

The team will move to Cardiff on 11 November, and the match will be shown live on Romanian television.

The Romanian squad: Petru Balan (Biarritz Olimpique), Marcel Socaciu (Rugby Rovigo), Petrisor Toderasc (Oyonnax), Cezar Popescu (Tarbes), Bogdan Balan (Bordeaux-Begles), Bogdan Zebega (Steaua Bucuresti), Razvan Mavrodin (Tarbes), Cristian Petre (Tarbes), Valentin Ursache (Contor Zenner Arad), Costica Mersoiu (Perigueux), Alin Petrache (Beziers), George Oprisor (Perpignan), Florin Tatu (Steaua Bucuresti), Alexandru Tudori (Perigueux), Lucian Sirbu (Metro Racing), Iulian Andrei (Steaua Bucuresti), Valentin Calafeteanu (Dinamo Bucuresti), Ionut Tofan (Metro Racing), Ioan Teodorescu (U Cluj), Cristian Sauan (Rugby Rovigo), Romeo Gontineac (Aurillac), Valentin Maftei (Aurillac), Vasile Ghioc (Dinamo Bucuresti), Bogdan Voicu (U Cluj), Flavius Dobre (Dinamo Bucuresti), Dan Dumbrava (Steaua Bucuresti), Ionut Dimofte (Contor Zenner Arad).

Coaches: Daniel Santamans, Virgil Nastase
Technical director: Robert Antonin
Manager: Pompilie Bors
Doctors: Alin Popescu, Christophe Baudot
Physiotehrapist: Catalin Padureanu
Fitness trainer: Dan Badea

Wales vs Romania at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Assessor: Jim Irvine (Ireland)
Television match official: Dave Pearson (England)