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Both Bucharest Wolves and Agen know they must win this game at Arcul de Triumf if they are to have any hope of pushing Pool leaders Bath for a place in the quarter-finals. - 07/12/2012 09:30
Both Bucharest Wolves and Agen know they must win this game at Arcul de Triumf if they are to have any hope of pushing Pool leaders Bath for a place in the quarter-finals.
Wins over Cammi Rugby Calvisano have kept these teams’ interest alive but the next two weeks will decide their fate.
The Wolves are on a high after wracking up their biggest score in Europe in their 42-27 success over Italians Calvisano.
And in wing Madalin Lemnaru they have one of the most attacking players in the tournament having gained a remarkable 189 metres gained in that one game alone.
Agen's only victory in their last seven games came in the Amlin Challenge Cup against Calvisano.
But they have the tournament's fourth highest scorer in fly-half Raphael Lagarde and threats out wide in wing Leka Tagotago and experience in scrum-half Sylvain Dupuy.
Match Facts
– Bucharest Wolves have lost four of their last six home games in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
– Agen won their only previous game against a Romanian side in the Amlin Challenge Cup (60-7 v Dinamo Bucuresti in 1998).
– Agen have only won twice in their last seven Amlin Challenge Cup games, both against Italian teams.
– Raphael Lagarde has kicked six penalties in the Amlin Challenge Cup so far, more than any other player.
Bucharest Wolves won their second group match of the season when Florin Vlaicu held his nerve to land a 79th minute penalty and snatch a 25-22 victory over Agen at Arcul de Triumf. - 08/12/2012 15:06
Bucharest Wolves won their second group match of the season when Florin Vlaicu held his nerve to land a 79th minute penalty and snatch a 25-22 victory over Agen at Arcul de Triumf.
After beating Cammi Rugby Calvisano in Round 2 they made it back-to-back home wins and condemned Agen to a sixth defeat in their last eight tournament matches.
The Wolves got off to an absolute flier with right wing Ionut Botezatu crossing the Agen line after just two minutes while it took Agen all but the rest of the half to match them with a try of their own.
Powerful No 8 Opeti Fonua did the business with a 39th minute try, Mathieu Lamoulie and Mike Wiringi exchanging penalty goals for the sides to go into the break all level at eight points apiece and everything to play for in the second period.
There was more of the same from the Romanian side at the start of the second half as they again struck with just a few minutes on the clock.
Full back Catalin Fercu’s try was converted by Wiringi – and there was even more joy for the home fans 10 minutes later when centre Cristian Dinis snapped up their third try.
With tempers threatening to boil over and both teams reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes left wing Belisario Agulla brought Agen right back into it with their second try and when prop Tura Turashvili became the second Wolves player sent to the sin bin a penalty try converted by Lamoulie leveled matters at 22-22 with just five minutes left on the clock.
But the Wolves were not to be denied and Florin Vlaicu sealed the four points with just a minute remaining.
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