Moldova national rugby union team

Moldova
Union Moldovan Rugby Federation
Coach(es) Sergiu Motoc
Captain(s) Alexandru Şîşcanu
Team kit
First international
 Moldova 22 -6 Lithuania 
(1993-10-10)
Largest win
 Moldova 55 - 6 Luxembourg 
(2005-04-16)
Largest defeat
 Moldova 5 - 65 Croatia 
(1997-05-10)

The Moldova national rugby union team represent Moldova at rugby union. They are governed by the Moldovan Rugby Federation (Federatia de Rugby din Moldova), and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.

History

Moldova played their first international on October 10, 1991 against Lithuania. Moldova won the match, 22 points to six. The next year they played against Bulgaria, which Moldova won, 42 points to three. Moldova played Hungary in 1995, which they won, by three points, 17 to 14.

They played Georgia, who defeated them 47 to five. They then played Ukraine and Latvia and Bulgaria.

Moldova played twice in 1997, defeating Norway and losing to Croatia. They won a number of fixtures in 2000. They played the Netherlands the following year. The national rugby team was designated by the members of Moldova's Sports Press Association as the best Moldovan team in 2004. Following this, they played in qualifying tournaments for the 2007 Rugby World Cup European qualify.

Moldova were grouped in Pool B of the second round, and they won two of their four matches, which saw them finish second in their pool behind Germany, and thus move onto round three and enter Pool A.

Popularity

Perhaps surprisingly, the popularity of rugby in Moldova is growing rapidly, with well over 10,000 fans regularly turning up to their home matches in the European Nations Cup. Since 2004, the number of Moldovan rugby players has more than doubled, due to the national team's growing international reputation.

Notable players

Moldovan international Alexei Cotruţa was the top try-scorer in the Russian Professional Rugby League in 2006, scoring 16 tries in 14 matches for Moscow-area side VVA-Podmoskovye.

During March 2011, Vadim Cobîlaş signed for Aviva Premiership side, Sale Sharks. He is the first Moldovan player to sign for a professional English team. More recently, prop Dumutri Arhip has signed for the Welsh regional side, Ospreys.

Current squad

Head Coach: Sergiu Motoc

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of Birth (Age) Caps Club/province
Dmitri Arhip Prop (1988-11-12) 12 November 1988 Wales Ospreys
Ion Dascăl Hooker 3 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Igor Orghianu Hooker (1991-12-18) 18 December 1991 8 Romania Steaua București
Dumitru Vasilachi Hooker (1979-12-24) 24 December 1979 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Maxim Cobîlaş Prop (1986-08-12) 12 August 1986 England Sale Sharks
Vadim Cobîlaş Prop (1983-12-30) 30 December 1983 England Sale Sharks
Ruslan Dorogan Prop (1993-10-04) 4 October 1993 0 Romania Dinamo București
Gheorge Gajion Prop (1992-12-13) 13 December 1992 1 Italy Rugby Rovigo Delta
Victor Leon Prop (1989-01-10) 10 January 1989 8 Romania CSM Bucureşti
Nichita Macaria Prop (1994-09-23) 23 September 1994 0 Romania RC Barlad
Veaceslav Titica Prop (1983-02-14) 14 February 1983 Russia Krasny Yar
Maxim Gargalic Lock (1989-03-07) 7 March 1989 8 Russia Yenisey-STM
Andrei Mahu Lock (1991-09-03) 3 September 1991 11 Italy Zebre
Andrei Romanov Lock (1985-12-10) 10 December 1985 Russia Krasny Yar
Victor Arhip Flanker (1990-12-24) 24 December 1990 Russia Krasny Yar
Ion Buşilă Flanker (1986-04-02) 2 April 1986 1 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Maxim Beşleaga Flanker 1 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Sergiu Castravet Flanker (1987-12-29) 29 December 1987 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Roman Rotundu Flanker (1993-11-29) 29 November 1993 2 Romania Dinamo București
Oleg Prepeliţă Number 8 (1983-06-18) 18 June 1983 Russia Krasny Yar
Nicolae Purcel Number 8 (1992-11-03) 3 November 1992 1 Moldova ŞSSRAR-USPEE
Nicolae Caburgan Scrum-half (1984-12-08) 8 December 1984 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Nicolae Chirilă Scrum-half (1980-03-07) 7 March 1980 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Victor Murzac Scrum-half 0 Moldova Sporting-ASEM
Craig Felston Fly-half (1993-03-24) 24 March 1993 5 France Stade Domontois
Octavian Manoli Fly-half (1983-02-07) 7 February 1983 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Alexandru Baltag Centre Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Andrian Baltag Centre (1987-01-30) 30 January 1987 7 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Ion Cavcaliuc Centre (1993-08-02) 2 August 1993 1 Romania Dinamo București
Stefan Leca Centre Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Alexandru Bulgac Wing (1987-06-14) 14 June 1987 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Andrei Cebotari Wing (1992-10-15) 15 October 1992 1 Romania RC Grivita
Ilie Lotcă Wing 0 Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Andrei Olari Wing (1988-11-04) 4 November 1988 1 France Villefranche XIII
Eduard Toderică Wing (1988-09-13) 13 September 1988 Moldova Olimp-Electromaş
Mihai Artîc Fullback Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
Mihai Golubenco Fullback (1994-11-21) 21 November 1994 10 Romania Steaua București
Dorin Petrache Fullback Moldova Lupii Albi-USEFS
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