Romania Player Biographies

Following are brief biographies of the Romanian squad for the World Cup: (ages correct at start of tournament):

MIRCEA PARASCHIV (coach) Age 44. National captain for a record 11 years, collecting 63 caps between 1975 and 1987. A clever play-maker with offensive spirit. Strong, authoritarian in character -- sometimes too much. Has always had problems with Romanian rugby union's governing body for his impulsive actions.

MIHAI HORIA VIOREANU. Fullback. Age 25. Height 1.84 metres. Weight 84 kg. Caps: Nine. Student. In his final year of medical studies, Vioreanu played in all the qualifying matches for the World Cup. Has plenty of pace and is first choice fullback

GHEORGE CRISTIAN SOLOMIE. Wing/fullback. Age 31. 1.85 metres. 91 kg. University professor. A versatile, experienced player of the Romanian attack lines.

CRISTIAN SAUAN. Winger. Age 25. 1.82 metres. 90kg. Caps: One. Office worker. Genuinely quick and a clever player with a good collective sense. Inexperienced at highest level but keen.

CRISTIAN NICOLIN HALDAN. Winger. Age 26. 1.79 metres. 82kg. Caps: Six. Policeman. Speedy player whose brother abandoned rugby to became a Dinamo Bucharest soccer player. Cristian stayed and became a rugby international.

ROMEO STEFAN GONTINEAC. Wing/centre. Age 26. 1.75 metres. 88kg. Caps: 27. Professional with Stade Aurillacois. Was a last-minute discovery for the 1995 World Cup who has become one of his country's pillars. Ha played at three French first division clubs and spent a season in South Africa.

CRISTIAN LUPU. Centre. Age 24. 1.77 metres. 90kg. Caps: Four. Policeman. A great defender who could become a fixture in the centres.

GABRIEL BREZOIANU. Centre. Age 22. 1.75 metres. 82kg. Caps: Eight. Universitatea Timisoara student who is good technically. Scored a try in both qualifiers against Georgia and Ireland in Dublin but is not guaranteed a place.

RADU FUGIGi. Wing. Age 26. 1.75 metres. 83 kg. Caps: 11. Romanian manager Constantin Fugigi's nephew but family ties played no role in his selection. He is one of the best technical players, scoring an 80-metre try against Ireland last year.

LEONARD MIHAU CIOLACU. Flyhalf/winger. Age 22. 1.83 metres. 85kg. Caps: Four. Student. Versatile player who can play virtually anywhere in the backs. Scored a record number of points for his club Farul Constanta in the national championship.

ROLAND LUCIEN VUSEC. Flyhalf. Age 27. 1.78 metres. 83kg. Caps: Three. Teacher. Born in France and now playing for RC Strasbourg but kept his Romanian citizenship as the son of a former star Mihai Vusec, now living in France. Has a great pass.

IONUT RAZVAN TOFAN. Flyhalf. Age 22. 1.79 metres. 75kg. Caps: Six. Student. Though lacking in physical stature, Tofan is technically one of Romania's best players. Another from the Steaua Bucharest club.

PETRE MITU. Scrumhalf. Age 22. 1.74 metres. 81kg. Caps: 10. Perhaps the best representative of the Romanian new wave. Needs to find his maturity on the field but has undoubted qualities. He can secure a victory but can also be responsible for a defeat. Helped Steaua win the national title last year. Scored 17 points in Romania's 27-23 victory over Georgia this year.

LUCIAN MIHAI SIRBU. Scrumhalf. Age 23. 1.82 metres. 87 kg. Caps: Two. Office worker. Cover for Mitu but destined for a great future.

MARIUS LUCIAN IACOB. Scrumhalf. Age 27. 1.75 metres. 80kg. Caps: Seven. Policeman. Full of drive and has a good tactical sense. Iacob is helping implement his coach's plans on the field but likely to be behind Mitu in the pecking order.

CATALIN DRAGUCEANU. Number eight. Age 28. 1.90 metres. 107kg. Caps: 28. Military employee. Another former captain, the experienced Draguceanu played for a season in Australia.

ERDINIC SEPTAR. Flanker. Age 26. 1.93 metres. 107 kg. Caps: Six. Student. An ethnic Tatar from the Black Sea port of Constanta, Septar is a key player who looks destined to find a contract abroad after the World Cup campaign.

FLORIN CORODEANU. Flanker. Age 22. 1.91 metres. 96 kg. Caps: Eight. Student. Steaua Bucharest man who is one of the leading players of the new Romanian wave who earned the 1996 junior World Cup bronze medal in Italy.

MARIUS VASILICA. Flanker. Age 21. 181m. 106kg. Uncapped. Universitatea Cluj student. Immensely strong and could yet force his way in the first choice side.

ALIN PETRACHE. Flanker/number eight. Age 23. 1.94 metres. 106kg. Caps: Eight. Splits his time between Dinamo Bucharest and Racing CF of France. Likely to play a critical role in World Cup. Finally found his place in French rugby after playing for three Romanian clubs last season.

DANIEL CHIRIAC. Lock. Age 26. 1.96 metres. 106 kg. Caps: Two. Student. Came to prominence during the preliminary tournament in France and England, he will be one of Romania's most reliable choices for the finals. A quiet man off of the field but aggressive when playing.

CONSTANTIN TUDOR (captain). Lock. Age 30. 1.98 metres. 115kg. Caps: 20. His strong personality earned him the captaincy last season and he provides vital encouragement for his team mates.

TIBERIUS BRINZA. Lock/number eight. Age 31. 1.98 metres. 115kg. Caps: 35. Former captain who plays for RC Narbonne in France. Played in two previous World Cups. Lost captaincy when a serious arm fracture put him out of action for the World Cup qualification campaign.

OVINDU TONITA. Lock. Age 19. 1.96 metres. 95kg. Uncapped. Office worker. The team's youngest player who should pick up useful experience on the trip.

DIMA NICOLAE DRAGOS, Prop/hooker. Age 20. 1.85 metres. 100 kg. Uncapped. Student. Young Castres player whose natural force and determination have forced him into the Romanian A team and into the World Cup reckoning.

CONSTANTIN STAN. Prop. Age 30. 1.84 metres. 120kg. Caps: 22 Policeman. Experienced Dinamo Bucharest man taking part in his third World Cup. Commutes to Bucharest for training sessions every day from his native town of Buzau, 130 km to the north.

LAURENTIU ROTARU. Prop. Age 29. 1.86 metres. 104 kg. Caps: Seven. Personal economic problems put him out of action for a year, but returned to the field after bowing to pressure from the national coach. His best display was during a test match defeat by France earlier this year.

NICULAE DRAGOS GABRIEL. Prop. Age 28. 1.81 metres. 111kg. Caps: 17. Stade Aurillacois player not known for making exceptional physical efforts. Nonetheless he has regained his top form after two seasons in French competition.

FLORIN MARIOARA. Age 31. 1.83 metres. 115 kg. Caps: Five. Policeman. Key player in the national team with his best moment coming during last year's qualifier against Ireland. One of the most powerful men in the squad. Also appears to have become the perfect businessman, selling and buying everything from food to electronics.

PETRE VLADIMIR BALAN. Hooker. Age 23. 1.86 metres. 102 kg. Caps: Four. Policeman. The most powerful Romanian player of the moment. Despite inexperience, he has become the country's best hooker.

STEFAN DEMCI. Hooker. Age 24. 1.78 metres. 98 kg. Uncapped. Policeman. In the squad as backup to his Dinamo Bucharest team mate and fellow policeman Balan. Owns a Disco bar in Bucharest.

Reuters contributed to this report.