​The Romanian national rugby team will meet Poland (February 4) in the first match of the new season of the European Rugby Championship, and the “Oaks” will approach the competition with a new technical composition, which will also try to qualify for the 2027 World Cup (to be held in Australia).

Coach David Gerard, who is assisted by an Englishman, a Georgian, three Frenchmen and four Romanians

The French David Gerard (head coach) will be assisted by the technicians he worked with before: an Englishman, a Georgian, three Frenchmen and four Romanians.

So the coach who will take care of the three quarters and the attacking phase is Jonathan Edward Brooks Callard (57), a former England player who worked as a defender for England and Bath, now the Academy Rugby coach. Federation of England and foot coach in Bath.

Georgian Simon Maisuradze (37 years old), who currently coaches the champion team of Romania “Dynamo”, will be the coach of the promotional package. He joined the Bulldogs in May of this year.

Raphael Saint-Andre (52), the younger brother of Philippe Saint-Andre, will be an assistant coach for three quarters. He also worked with the Hungarian team as a technical consultant and with the Russian team as a coach. He was also the coach for three quarters of the clubs “Lyon” and “Ducks”.

On the fitness front, two Frenchmen, Michael Dallery and Paul Serret-Labourdette, both of whom have been part of Portugal’s technical staff in recent years, will be in charge, along with former Steyar Daniel Carpo.

“It’s a new start, not just for the year or the competition, but for the qualifying cycle for the World Cup in Australia from 2027, that’s the goal we set out with.

We have seen the work, so to speak, of the coaches who will lead the Romanian team, we know the results they have achieved, the changes they have brought to the game and the mentality of the players they have worked with, and we want them to succeed in that , to do these things at the Oaks level.

We are confident in the ability of all participants, be it players or coaches, that they will be able to bring good results to Romanian rugby, the results we need so much for the fans of this sport, as well as for the generations that are growing up” – Alin PetrachePresident of the Romanian Rugby Federation.

The composition of the Romanian national rugby team

David Gerard is the head coach

Jonathan Edward Brooks Callard – coach of defenders and attackers

Simon Maisuradze is a promotion coach

Raphael Francois St. Andre is an assistant coach with three quarters and skills

Michael Dallery is the head fitness coach

Paul Cere-Labourdette is the second trainer with physical training and GPS

Daniel Carpo is the second fitness trainer and GPS

Daniel Rezvan Vanya Kringu is a doctor

Marius Tudozi is a physiotherapist

David Popa is a video analyst.

Rugby Europe Championship 2024 Group B Schedule

The Romania national rugby union team will take part in the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship, where they are drawn in Group B with Portugal, Belgium and Poland.

Belgium – Portugal / February 3

Poland – Romania / February 4

Portugal – Poland / February 10

Romania – Belgium / February 10

Belgium – Poland / February 17

Romania – Portugal / February 17

What you need to know about Rugby Europe Championship 2024

• Group A includes Georgia, Spain, Holland and Germany.

• The top two teams will play cross semi-finals, followed by the final and ranking games.

• The semi-finals will be held on March 2-3, 2024, and the final on March 17, 2024 (Paris).

• Last season, Georgia won Europe’s second tier title after defeating Portugal in the final, while Romania finished on the podium after beating Spain in the minor final.

• This will be the second year with fixed groups, ending with relegation (in the European Rugby Trophy) and promotion at the end of the season after the combined ranking of the two years, writes Agerpres.