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| 2004 season | |||
| Coach | Virgil Năstase and Marin Moţ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Pompilie Borş | ||
| European Shield | Round 1 | ||
| Top try scorer | All: Ion Teodorescu (2) | ||
| Top points scorer | All: Iulian Andrei (17) | ||
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The 2004 season marked the inaugural campaign for the Romanian Wolves, initially launched as Romania A, a second-tier representative rugby union team designed to provide a platform for the development of emerging talent in Romanian rugby. The team participated in the 2004/2005 European Shield, a competition aimed at providing competitive matches for emerging and second-tier European rugby nations.
Background and Formation
editRomania has a storied history in rugby union, with its national team regularly participating in World Cups and competing against Europe's top-tier nations. However, by the early 2000s, there was a recognized need to strengthen the pipeline of talent feeding into the national team. The Romanian Rugby Federation (F.R.R.) identified the creation of a second-tier representative team as a critical step to develop younger players and offer more competitive match experience.
The European Shield, introduced as a competition for Europe's emerging rugby nations, provided the perfect platform for this initiative. The F.R.R. launched Romania A (later rebranded as the Romanian Wolves) in 2004, with the goal of fielding a competitive team that would also serve as a proving ground for players aspiring to join the senior national team.
European Shield Campaign
editThe Wolves inaugural season in the European Shield involved a two-legged 1st Round match-up against Italy's Leonessa Rugby. The first match saw Romania A host Leonessa at the U.M.T. Stadium in Timișoara on December 5, 2004. Romania A, the team representing Romania's second-tier national squad (later evolving into the Romanian Wolves), secured a narrow 18–15 victory. This match marked a promising start for Romania A in their inaugural European Shield campaign, with strong performances in both attack and defense to edge out their Italian opponents. The return leg took place just five days later in Italy, where Admo Leonessa aimed to overturn the narrow deficit from the first encounter. The Italian side delivered a much stronger performance, taking control of the game early on and exploiting the opposition's fatigue and errors. Despite a valiant effort from the Romanians, Leonessa won the match 32–21, thereby advancing on aggregate.
This two-legged tie marked Romania A's debut in a European club-level competition, providing a valuable foundation for future development and international experience. Despite the early elimination, the matches showcased Romania A's potential and highlighted areas for growth in subsequent seasons.
Events of the season
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Matches
editRomania A vs Admo Leonessa
edit| 5 December 2004 |
| Romania A | 18–15 | Admo Leonessa |
| Try: Teodorescu 7'm Penalty try 45'c Con: Dumbravă (0/1) Andrei (1/1) 47' Pen: Andrei (2/3) 13', 62' | Report | Try: Francesio 21'c Colosio 49'm Con: Wakarua (1/2) 23' Pen: Wakarua (1/3) 5' |
| U.M.T. Stadium, Timișoara Attendance: 500 Referee: Jean-Luc Rebollal (France) |
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Assistant referees:
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See also
edit- Romanian Wolves
- Category:București Wolves players
- Romania national rugby union team
- Rugby union in Romania