{"id":789987,"date":"2026-07-09T21:20:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T21:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/789987\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T21:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T21:20:12","slug":"world-rugby-nations-cup-uruguay-vs-romania-arn-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/789987\/","title":{"rendered":"World Rugby Nations Cup – Uruguay vs Romania – ARN Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Uruguay play host to Romania in a round two fixture of the 2026 World Rugby Nations Cup. The contest sees two teams who were beaten in one round clashing at the home of the Uni\u00f3n de Rugby del Uruguay (URU) in Montevideo.<\/p>\n

The rivalry has grown exponentially to be one of the most common Tier 2 fixtures between teams from different or mixed regions. So much so, that so far in the 2020s, Uruguay vs Romania is the most common intercontinental test match for both Los Teros and Stejarii.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s World Rugby Nations Cup match between the teams in Montevideo will be the seventh meeting this decade. This is notably high and none of the matches have been at Rugby World Cups nor in Rugby World Cup Qualifying.<\/p>\n

Historically, fixtures like Romania vs Canada or Uruguay vs USA \/ Canada happened more often. However, looking strictly at this current decade, those rivalries have slowed down. Romania have only played Canada twice so far this decade (2024 and 2025). Their 7 games against Uruguay make it by far their most frequent opponent outside of Europe<\/p>\n

Uruguay\u2019s historic regional qualifiers against the USA and Canada have been reduced due to changes in Rugby World Cup qualification pathways, leaving their 7 matches against Romania as their highest cross-continental tally compared to having faced Canada (2), USA (2), Portugal (1), Spain (1) thus far in the 2020s.<\/p>\n

The change in Uruguay\u2019s opposition outside of South America has taken place alongside the move to High Performance investments at the Estadio Charr\u00faa and professionalism. This has seen Uruguay turn-around results against Romania.<\/p>\n

Historically, Romania dominated the fixture through sheer physical size and an elite scrumming tradition. However, Los Teros have flipped the dynamic to secure a 5-match winning streak, capped by a historic 70\u20138 blowout in July 2025 and a 31\u201321 victory in Bucharest.<\/p>\n

Uruguay has weaponized a massive advantage in ball-in-play speed and physical conditioning. Romania\u2019s traditionally massive forward pack historically bullied Uruguay. Today, Los Teros use high-tempo phase play and quick ball recycling to exhaust Romania\u2019s heavy forwards.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"URUGUAY \u2013 WORLD RANKING 16<\/a> (68.46)<\/p>\n

DATE
\nCOMPETITION
\nOPPONENT
\nRESULT
\nSCORE
\nVENUE<\/p>\n

Jul 4, 2026
\nWorld Rugby Nations Cup
\nGeorgia
\nLoss
\n34\u201341<\/a>
\nEstadio Charr\u00faa, Montevideo<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"ROMANIA \u2013 WORLD RANKING 22<\/a> (60.08)<\/p>\n

DATE
\nCOMPETITION
\nOPPONENT
\nRESULT
\nSCORE
\nVENUE<\/p>\n

Jul 4, 2026
\nWR Nations Cup
\nChile
\nLoss
\n31\u201348<\/a>
\nEstadio Nacional, Santiago<\/p>\n

Mar 15, 2026
\nRugby Europe Championship
\nSpain
\nLoss
\n23\u201329
\nEstadio Butarque, Legan\u00e9s<\/p>\n

Mar 8, 2026
\nRugby Europe Championship
\nGeorgia
\nLoss
\n30\u201353
\nAvchala Stadium, Tbilisi<\/p>\n

Feb 22, 2026
\nRugby Europe Championship
\nPortugal
\nLoss
\n7\u201344
\nEstadio do Jamor, Lisbon<\/p>\n

Feb 15, 2026
\nRugby Europe Championship
\nBelgium
\nWin
\n23\u20136
\nStadionul Emil Alexandrescu, Ia\u0219i<\/p>\n

Feb 8, 2026
\nRugby Europe Championship
\nGermany
\nLoss
\n24\u201330
\nFritz-Grunebaum Sportpark, Heidelberg<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nIN
\nOUT<\/p>\n

14
\nFrancisco Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevila
\nJuan Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n

15
\nJuan Gonz\u00e1lez
\nFrancisco Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevila<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nIN
\nOUT<\/p>\n

1
\nIulian Hartig
\nAlexandru Savin<\/p>\n

3
\nCosmin Manole
\nJean-Pierre Smith<\/p>\n

4
\nLogan Weidner
\nNicolaas Immenman<\/p>\n

6
\nNicolaas Immelman
\nKemal Altinok<\/p>\n

9
\nAlin Conache
\nGabriel Rupanu<\/p>\n

10
\nHinckley Vaovasa
\nDaniel Plai<\/p>\n

13
\nNicolas Onu\u021bu
\nDylan Schwartz<\/p>\n

14
\nTevita Manumua
\nNicolas Onu\u021bu<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2013\u00a0Iacopo Bianchi.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\u00a0MOST CAPS<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2013 M Sanguinetti (98), I Dotti (73), M Diana (54), M Ardao (39), L Bianchi (27), F Aliaga (23), JM Alonso (20); F Arcos P\u00e9rez (20)<\/p>\n

\"\" \u2013 A Savin (43), M Simionescu (41), G Rupanu (32), D Plai (31), N Onu\u021bu (29), I Hartig (25), J Tomane (22).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\u00a0LEAST CAPS<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2013 G Kigel (1), F Landauer (1), L Porcelli (1), I Rodr\u00edguez Bosch (1), A Ten Hoever (1), A Vidal (1), J Cotarmanac\u2019h (3), F Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevila (3), M Rosmarino (3), J Myszka (7), M Perillo (9), J Su\u00e1rez (10)<\/p>\n

\"\" \u2013 I Bianchi (0), JP Smith (1), K Murray (1), L Weidner (3), I Tique (1), M Graure (6)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\u00a0NOTABLE ABSENTEES<\/p>\n

\"\" \u2013 F Su\u00e1rez (LH), G Kessler (HK), G Pujadas (HK), D Arbelo (TH), I P\u00e9culo (TH), M Leindekar (LO), S Civetta (FL), C Deus (FL), S \u00c1lvarez (SH), S Arata (SH), F Etcheverry (FH), A Vilaseca (CE), B Basso (WI), B Amaya (FB)<\/p>\n

\"\" \u2013 Thomas Cre\u021bu (TH), Gheorghe Gajion (TH) Marius Iftimiciuc (LO), Adrian Motoc (LO), Taylor Gontineac (CE), A Septar (CE), Toni Maftei (WI).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Uruguay is on a five match winning-streak against Romania.
\nThe teams met in Montevideo last July with Uruguay winning by a record margin<\/a>.
\nThey met again in Bucharest in November with Los Teros winning 31-12<\/a>.
\nRodolfo Ambrosio has named the same XV to start who did so against Georgia. The only difference is Francisco Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevilia and Juan Gonz\u00e1lez switch positions.
\nRomania\u2019s changes include a start for Canadian Logan Weidner in the second-row.
\nUruguayan players Germ\u00e1n Kigel, Francisco Landauer, Lucas Porcelli, Ignacio Rodr\u00edguez Bosch, Arturo Ten Hoever, and Alfonso Vidal all debuted against Georgia. Ten Hoever is from France.
\nJean\u2013Pierre Smith and Keanan Murray debuted for Romania against Chile. Both are from South Africa.
\n\u00a0Iacopo Bianchi will earn his test debut for Romania.
\nAndrei Mahu has 12 caps specifically for Romania, but holds 36 total international caps when including his 24 appearances for Moldova.
\nVeteran Teros prop, Mateo Sanguinetti will earn his 99th cap.
\nUruguay\u2019s 23 features 20 players born in Uruguay, 1 in Argentina and 2 in France. Francisco Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevilia is from Argentina while Jean Cotarmanac\u2019h and Arturo Ten Hoever are from France. All three men qualify for Uruguay via a parent.
\n12 of Romania\u2019s 23 players were born in Romania. They are Iulian Hartig, \u0218tefan Marko Buruian\u0103, Cosmin Manole, Cristi Boboc, Adrian Mitu, Alin Conache, Marius Simionescu, Tudor Butnariu, Alexandru Savin, Vlad Neculau, Gabriel Rupanu and Mihai Graure.
\nRomania\u2019s 11 other players are from Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Italy, New Zealand, Moldova, South Africa and Tonga.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"
URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Joaqu\u00edn Myszka, 3 Reinaldo Piussi, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Felipe Aliaga (capt.), 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Joaquin Su\u00e1rez, 10 Jean Cotarmanac\u2019h, 11 Ignacio \u00c1lvarez Akiki, 12 Juan Manuel Alonso, 13 Felipe Arcos P\u00e9rez, 14 Francisco Gonz\u00e1lez Capdevilia, 15 Juan Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n

Replacements: 16 Germ\u00e1n Kigel, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Lucas Porcelli, 19 Manuel Rosmarino, 20 Arturo Ten Hoever, 21 Ignacio Rodriguez Bosch, 22 Francisco Landauer, 23 Alfonso Vidal<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

ROMANIA
1 Iulian Hartig, 2 \u0218tefan Marko Buruian\u0103, 3 Cosmin Manole, 4 Logan Weidner, 5 Andrei Mahu, 6 Nicolaas Immelman 7 Cristi Boboc (capt.), 8 Adrian Mitu, 9 Alin Conache, 10 Hinckley Vaovasa, 11 Iliesa Tiqe, 12 Jason Tomane, 13 Nicolas Onu\u021bu, 14 Tevita Manumua, 15 Marius Simionescu<\/p>\n

Replacements: 16 Tudor Butnariu, 17 Alexandru Savin 18 Jean-Pierre Smith, 19 Vlad Neculau, 20 Keanan Murray, 21 Iacopo Bianchi, 22 Gabriel Rupanu, 23 Mihai Graure<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ambrosio\u2019s decision to retain the same line-up signifies a team following a game-plan. Indeed, Los Teros rely on a game plan built around elite breakdown competition, tactical kicking, and an expansive backline running game. They were able to compete against Georgia in many areas with structural tactical elements designed to disrupt their higher-ranked opponent. The Stejarii rely on a traditional, heavyweight forward-based game plan centered around set-piece dominance, brutal scrummaging, and a punishing driving maul. Cold conditions await the teams at the Estadio Charr\u00faa. Uruguay are favorites to win in Montevideo.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Venue: Estadio Charr\u00faa, Montevideo
Date: Saturday, July 11
Kick-Off: 2:00pm (Uruguay); 8:00pm (Romania)
Weather: Light Rain Showers; 12\u00b0C (54\u00b0F) Wind SE 4 mph
Broadcast: Disney + (Uruguay); Rugby Pass<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
Assistants: Angus Mabey (New Zealand); Cau\u00e3 Ricardo Santos (Brazil)
TMO: Dan Jones (England)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

HISTORY \"\"\u00a0vs \"\" (2008-2026)\u00a0<\/p>\n

2025-11-22 \u2013 Romania 21-31 Uruguay<\/a> (Bucharest, RO)
2025-07-12 \u2013 Uruguay 70-08 Romania<\/a> (Montevideo, UY)
2024-11-23 \u2013 Romania 21-23 Uruguay<\/a> (Bucharest, RO)
2022-11-13 \u2013 Romania 16-21 Uruguay<\/a> (Bucharest, RO)
2022-07-17 \u2013 Uruguay 26-20 Romania<\/a> (Montevideo, UY)
2022-07-17 \u2013\u00a0Uruguay 22-30 Romania<\/a>\u00a0(Montevideo, UY)
2021-11-07 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0Romania 29-14 Uruguay<\/a>\u00a0(Verona, IT)
2018-11-24 \u2013\u00a0Romania 20-27 Uruguay<\/a>\u00a0(Baia Mare, RO)
2016-11-06 \u2013\u00a0Romania 36-10 Uruguay<\/a>\u00a0(Bucharest, RO)
2016-06-13 \u2013\u00a0Romania 40-0 Uruguay<\/a>\u00a0(Bucharest, RO)
2014-06-14 \u2013 Romania 34-16 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2012-06-08 \u2013 Romania 29-9 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2010-11-27 \u2013 Romania 39-12 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2010-11-13 \u2013 Uruguay 21-21 Romania (Montevideo, UY)
2009-06-12 \u2013 Romania 17-11 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2008-06-11 \u2013 Romania 10-6 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

HEAD TO HEAD \"\"\u00a0vs \"\" (2008-2026)<\/p>\n

\"\" Wins 9
\"\" Wins 6
DRAW 1<\/p>\n

\"\"photo credit: Dragos Pascaneanu \/ FRR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Uruguay play host to Romania in a round two fixture of the 2026 World Rugby Nations Cup. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":789988,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,224900,145827,760,85],"class_list":["post-789987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-july-internationals","tag-nations-cup","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=789987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/789988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=789987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=789987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=789987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}