Romania have confirmed a 34-player squad for the opening match of the Rugby Europe Championship 2026 , as the Romania national rugby union team prepare to begin their campaign away to Germany national rugby union team in Kassel on 8 February .
Romania have confirmed a 34-player squad for the opening match of the Rugby Europe Championship 2026, as the Romania national rugby union team prepare to begin their campaign away to Germany national rugby union team in Kassel on 8 February.
Despite having already secured qualification for the Rugby World Cup, Romania enter this Championship under a growing cloud of concern. Results and performances throughout the last cycle have fallen below expectations, and REC 2026 now feels less like a formality — and more like a referendum on the direction of the rebuild.
On paper, Romania remain one of the traditional heavyweights of the Rugby Europe Championship. In reality, recent performances have told a different story.
While World Cup qualification has masked some underlying issues, the REC has repeatedly exposed:
Inconsistency in execution
A lack of attacking cohesion
Defensive fragility against organised Tier 2 opposition
The pressure is no longer about whether Romania qualify — it’s about how competitive they actually are when they do.
The headline concern ahead of REC 2026 is availability.
Romania will be without several key players, all sidelined through injuries carried over from last year:
Gabriel Rupanu
Jason Tomane
Marius Simionescu
Gabriel Pop
Adrian Mitu
Atila Septar
All are expected to be re-evaluated at the end of February, but their absence at the start of the Championship removes leadership, experience and continuity from an already unsettled squad.
For a side attempting to “stabilise the core group”, as stated by the coaching staff, this is a significant blow.
Head coach David Gérard was candid when reflecting on Romania’s recent preparations:
“The big problem was the large number of injuries that occurred in recent weeks, injuries that slowed down our plan and objectives… As we approach the World Cup, the group must be as stable as possible, to have a core group, welded together.”
That message is telling.
Romania are still talking about building cohesion — at a stage when many of their rivals are already refining systems. REC 2026 may therefore expose whether Romania are progressing, or simply standing still.
Players based domestically completed a two-week training camp at INSEP in Paris, designed to raise physical conditioning and cohesion. The squad will reconvene on 31 January in Bucharest, before travelling to Germany.
Several additional players — Bogdan Andrei Andreica, Alexander Dinu, Rares Mîrzac and Cristi Bumbac — will also train with the group in the build-up, underlining the coaching staff’s desire to keep the selection pool broad.
But broad selection often signals uncertainty, not confidence.
Front Row
Alexandru Savin (CS Rapid)
Iulian Hartig (CS Dinamo)
Joji Sikote
Cosmin Manole (CS Dinamo)
Gheorghe Gajion (Mont-de-Marsan)
Thomas Cretu (US Dax)
Tudor Butnariu (SCM USV Timisoara)
Stefan Buruiana (SC Albi)
Lukas Mitu (Castres)
Second Row
Marius Antonescu (Narbonne)
Matthew Tweddle (CSA Steaua)
Nicolaas Immelman (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare)
Andrei Mahu (Massy)
Adrian Motoc (Nissa Rugby)
Back Row
Dragos Ser (SCM USV Timisoara)
Vlad Neculau (SCM USV Timisoara)
Kemal Altinok (SCM USV Timisoara)
Cristi Boboc (CSA Steaua)
Eduard Cioroaba (CS Dinamo)
Half-backs
Toma Mîrzac (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare)
Alin Conache (CSA Steaua)
Fly-halves
Daniel Jipa (CS Rapid)
Stefan Cojocariu (CS Rapid)
Hinckley Vaovasa
Wings
Tevita Manumua (SCM USV Timisoara)
Toni Maftei
Tiqe Iliesa (SCM USV Timisoara)
Taliauli Sikuea (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare)
Centres
Alexandru Bucur (SCM USV Timisoara)
Fonovai Tangimana (CS Dinamo)
Antonio Mitrea (Stade Aurillacois Espoirs)
Taylor Gontineac (AS Béziers Hérault)
Full-backs
Paul Popoaia (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare)
Ovidiu Neagu (SCM USV Timisoara)
8 February – Germany vs Romania
15 February – Romania vs Belgium
22 February – Portugal vs Romania
Semi-finals: 7–8 March
Final & qualification matches: 15 March (Madrid)
This schedule offers no easy entry point. Germany away is a potential banana skin, Belgium at home is a must-win, and Portugal away will test Romania’s physical and mental resilience.
Romania arrive at REC 2026 with status but uncertainty.
They are qualified for the World Cup — but far from convincing. Injuries have stripped out key experience, the rebuild remains incomplete, and performances have yet to match reputation.
REC 2026 will reveal whether Romania are:
Still rebuilding
Falling behind
Or finally ready to stabilise and reset
Because qualification alone is no longer enough.
For Romania, this Championship is about credibility.