Following on from Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, in this final article we’ll take a look at the minnows of the upcoming Rugby World Cup’s Pool D – Canada and Romania.
Canada
Technically sound and with some exciting players, Canada can win against fellow minnows Romania, and will want an upset over Italy.
Jeff Hassler: Was a promising running back at the University of Saskatchewan Huskies before he made the switch to rugby, and the winger’s running style hasn’t wavered much.
Hassler is a powerfully built ball of muscle, who is perfectly happy to take on defenders. A brilliant broken-field runner with an impressive array of power, drive and speed, Hassler is an all-action winger who gets fans out of their seats.
DTH van der Merwe: The man with probably the longest name in world rugby – DTH stands for Daniel Tailliferrer Hauman. Glasgow Warriors coach Gregor Townsend called van der Merwe one of the best wingers in the game – he’s strong on the ball, has a great centre of gravity, is an excellent finisher and a leader within the team.
Tyler Ardron: The lanky No. 8’s rise up the rugby ladder has been meteoric. Ardon will captain the Canucks despite being only 24 with 20 caps to his name. Ardon has versatility, toughness, and skill with his passing ability and line-out work. He can also play second row and was recently voted Ospreys players’ player of the year.
Romania
The Oaks are a clever team who haven’t made the most of their limited resources. A team full of experienced players, for the first time in a World Cup they also have some naturalised players in their squad.
They have the ability to grind their way to tries and might surprise a few teams (and fans).
Cătălin Fercu: Romania’s true superstar. Strong, tenacious and skilful, he is equally capable on the wing and at fullback. Fercu plays in the English Premiership with the Saracens and is one of the Romania’s most experienced player (78 caps). Missed the World Cup in New Zealand four years ago because of a fear of flying.
Florin Vlaicu: Romania’s top-ever point scorer (595), the ever-reliable five-eighth will play his third World Cup. His deadly boot has led the Oaks to victory on many occasions.
Ovidiu Tonita: A rugby gladiator and world-class player, the 35-year-old eightman has been playing top-level rugby for close to 25 years and is entering his fifth World Cup.
Are there are any other Romanian or Canadian players we should look out for?
Follow Jamieson on Twitter @jamiesonmurph
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