In men’s international rugby action, Romania secured a 31-21 victory over Canada with scrum half Alin Conache contributing 16 points through kicks on Saturday at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf. The defeat is anticipated to cause Canada, ranked 24th, to drop at least one position in the global rankings.
Following this loss, Canada is set to face off against No. 11 Georgia in Batumi next Saturday before a match against No. 20 Portugal on November 22 in Coimbra. Georgia also emerged victorious earlier in the day by defeating the 15th-ranked U.S. Eagles 43-30 in Batumi.
Tries for Romania were scored by Ovidiu Cojocaru, Cristi Chirică, and Tevita Manumua, with Conache successfully converting two conversions and four penalties. On the other hand, Canada’s tries were scored by Mason Flesch, Piers Von Dadelszen, and Barnaby Waddell, with Peter Nelson adding three conversions. Waddell’s try came in the dying moments of the game after debuting off the bench.
The win improved Romania’s head-to-head record against Canada to 8-3-0, with the Oaks emerging victorious in eight of the last nine encounters. The only exception was Canada’s 35-22 win at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa in July 2024, with Canada’s other victories coming during the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.
Throughout the game, Romania took an early lead and maintained control, leaving Canada struggling to catch up. Despite Canada’s efforts, Romania’s strong performance led them to a well-deserved victory. Canada’s 2025 record now stands at 1-6-0, with all of their November opponents having already secured qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.