Romania stayed true to their word putting on a display of attacking team rugby in beating Namibia 37-7 in the last of Minnows Week games at Rugby World Cup 2003 from York Park in Launceston, Tasmania.
Romanian coach Bernard Charreyre promised a symphony in the lead up and the Europeans delivered at least a five movement performance, scoring five tries to one to finish with five points in Pool A.
Namibia remained winless, taking the wooden spoon. Namibia has never won a RWC Finals match.
Retiring coach celebrated
Romania now has four RWC wins from 16 attempts, the 25 percent success rate celebrated by tossing retiring coach Bernard Charreyre in the air three times in a team huddle at the end of the match.
Launceston welcomed the two teams, just as Sydney and Perth embraced the Georgians, 12,000 people snapping up presold tickets in the 15,457 fans.
The local council promoting the match asked fans born on an even numbered day to support Namibia and those born on an odd numbered day to get behind Romania.
The scorers
Flyhaf Ionut Tofan contributed 12 points to the win from two penalties and three conversions for Romania, to add to tries by lock Augustin Petrichei, flanker George Chiriac, Lucian Sirbu and Ioan Teddorescu.
For Namibia Eben Isaacs scored a try and Emile Wessels contributed the conversion. By far the best on the park for the Africans was flanker Schalk van der Merwe who was stopped achingly close to what would have been just reward for a grand Tournament, his first test try.
Dr Rudi van Vuuren created a record when he ran on as a replacement on 70 minutes, becoming the only man to play in both the Cricket and Rugby world cups.
Romania had the better of the opening quarter, leading 13-0 after 20 minutes from a converted try and two penalty goals. They were held up over the line three times, twice in two minutes, the second a super effort from Namibian flanker van der Merwe to deny scrum half Lucian Sirbu of what, for all money, looked like a certain try after 23 minutes.
Sirbu did not have to wait long, scoring a schoolboy-simple tap and go try, untouched on 26 minutes, the conversion by Tofan pushing the score out to 20-0.
Lock Augustin Petrichei opened the scoring in the second minute for Romania with a try on the end of a sweeping movement that spread from width to width, flyhalf Ionut Tofan converted and the score was 7-0.
Ioan Teodorescu scored the best and fourth of the Romanian first half tries, the wing’s first international five pointer, a seven pass effort that finished in the right corner on the stroke of half time.
Namibia got on the scoreboard on 54 minutes, lock Eben Isaacs crashing over on the right after the Africans attacked in numbers deep in Romanian territory, Emile Wessels converted for a 32-7 scoreline.
It was the first period of the match that Namibia had rested at least 30 percent possession from Romania.
A RWC summary
Romania led the battle of the negative differential going in to the game conceding 95 fewer points, 157 to 252, over three Pool A losses, the largest 90-8 against Australia. They came closest in the 45-17 loss to Ireland.
The Romanians scored 28 points, three tries, two conversions and three penalty goals in the previous three Pool games, while Namibia had 21 points from three tries converted tries.
Namibia got closest to Argentina, 67-14, conceding a record 142 points to Australia without reply and a further 64 to Ireland.