Romania eager to learn from another tough World Cup outing

BORDEAUX, France : Romania know they are outgunned but believe they will be able to take much from their meeting with world champions South Africa in a Rugby World Cup Pool B clash in Bordeaux on Sunday as coach Eugen Apjok relishes another fixture against a tier 1 nation.

Only the most ardent of Oaks fans might be dreaming of victory, but that does not mean it will not be another fruitful exercise for a side that does not face top teams often enough.

Romania lost 82-8 to world number one Ireland in their group opener last weekend, and now meet the second-ranked Springboks in a schedule that is as hard as it gets.

"We expect a very tough game," Apjok told reporters on Friday. "We have prepared well this week and expect our boys to do their best on the field and to get a better result than last weekend.

"It was a big experience for the boys and they have a lot of learning. All the players played their first game in a World Cup so all the emotions and everything is gone now.

"They understand the intensity of the game, the speed of the ruck and what international rugby is about."

Prop Alexandru Gordas hopes Romania can show their scrumming prowess against one of the best teams in the business.

"We have analysed them, they have a strong pack and they have a good scrum, so we expect (it to be tough). But we are here to show our strength in the scrum too," Gordas said.

"It is a great opportunity for us because we have a lot of young players in the scrum and we want to take this opportunity and show we are also strong like we have been in the past. We want to keep going."

The teams have met before at the World Cup as South Africa won 21-8 on home soil on their way to lifting the trophy for the first time in 1995.