Conache on target as Romania defeats Canada 31-21 in men’s international rugby test

By Canadian Press on November 8, 2025.

BUCHAREST — Scrum half Alin Conache kicked 16 points to help Romania to a 31-21 win over Canada in men’s international rugby play Saturday.

The loss at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf is expected to drop No. 24 Canada at least one place in the world rankings.

Canada takes on No. 11 Georgia next Saturday in Batumi before facing No. 20 Portugal on Nov. 22 in Coimbra. Georgia defeated the 15th-ranked U.S. Eagles 43-30 earlier Saturday in Batumi.

Ovidiu Cojocaru, Cristi Chirică and Tevita Manumua scored tries for No. 21 Romania. Conache booted four penalties and two conversions.

Mason Flesch, Piers Von Dadelszen and Barnaby Waddell scored tries for Canada, which had two players sent to the sin-bin in the second half. Peter Nelson kicked three conversions.

Waddell, a six-foot-four, 265-pound lock who plays in Wales for Bridgend Ravens, crashed over with the clock in the red after making his debut off the bench in the second half.

Romania improved to 8-3-0 all-time against Canada. The Oaks have won eight of the last nine meetings, the exception being a 35-22 victory for Canada at Ottawa’s TD Place Stadium in July 2024. Canada’s two other victories were at the 1991 and ’95 World Cups.

Leading 12-7 at the half, Romania pulled further ahead in the 42nd minute Saturday with Cojocaru touching down behind a driving maul off a lineout for a converted try and 19-7 lead. Canada looked to have answered with a try from Nic Benn, but the score was nullified due to obstruction.

Canadian fly half Robbie Povey was yellow-carded in the 53rd minute for a high tackle. Romania came close soon after with flanker Kemal Altinok sliding over in the corner in a mass of bodies but video review could not confirm the try.

Chirică made no mistake soon after, powering his way over for a 24-7 lead. Von Dadelszen answered in the 67th minute, scoring from close-range for a converted try that cut the margin to 24-14.

Welsh referee Ben Breakspear warned Canada about a string of scrum penalties midway through the second half. That led to a 70th-minute yellow card for replacement prop Matt Tierney, who won the last of his 25 caps in October 2021.

Romania took advantage with Manumua, a Tongan-born winger, breezing over in the 73rd minute to pad the lead.

Romania started brightly off the opening kickoff and went ahead 3-0 in the third minute on a Conache penalty after No. 8 Matt Oworu was penalized for not releasing the ball when tackled in the Canadian end. Conache was on target again in the ninth minute after Canada was penalized at the lineout.

Conache made it 9-0 in the 15th minute after Canada was driven back in the scrum on its own put-in. A Nelson penalty attempt in the 18th minute just missed, hitting the goalpost.

Romania kept the scoreboard ticking over, upping the lead to 12-0 in the 25th minute after Canada was penalized at the scrum.

Flesch capped a Canadian attack in the 28th minute, crashing over from close range. Nelson’s conversion cut the Romania lead to 12-7 and pushed the fullback’s points total to 201 for Canada.

Conache finally missed a kick late in the half.

Coach Stephen Meehan’s young starting 15 came into the game with a combined 244 caps. Captain Lucas Rumball (62), fellow forward Cole Keith (41) and Nelson (32) accounted for 135 of them with nine other players having 11 or fewer caps.

There were first Saturday for prop Sam Miller and centre Kyle Tremblay, both earning their second cap.

All of Canada’s November opponents have qualified for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Canada booked its ticket via the Pacific Nations Cup while the other three advanced via the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship.

Saturday’s game marked the international swansong of Cojocaru, the Romanian skipper and hooker who was honoured before the anthems.

Romania was coming off a three-match tour of South America in July, losing 40-16 to No. 17 Chile, 70-8 to No. 19 Uruguay and 52-14 to Argentina XV.

Canada fell to 1-6-0 in 2025, losing its fourth straight since a 34-20 win over the United States in August. It has won just two of 14 outings (2-12-0) since the start of 2024.

Saturday’s game marked the second edition of the Cernavodă Cup. Awarded in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Romania, it honours Romanian-Canadian co-operation in the nuclear energy sector.

In recognition of Remembrance Day, the Canadian men wore custom jerseys featuring a poppy on the left sleeve.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025.

The Canadian Press