Romania ring changes for England in rugby World Cup

Romania have made 11 changes to their side to play England in a World Cup clash here on Saturday. The most striking alteration to the team beaten 43-8 by Argentina in Romania's previous Pool B clash in Invercargill last Saturday is that star hooker and captain Marius Tincu, who plays for French Top 14 club Perpignan, has dropped down to the bench. In the backs Iulian Dumitras remains but moves from full-back to inside centre with Ionel Cazan coming into midfield from the wing. Meanwhile in the pack Ovidiu Tonita shifts across to No 8 from openside flanker. The team will be captained by Cristian Petre, who retains his place at lock. Romania also lost their opening match, running Scotland close before going down 34-24. They only have a four-day turnaround between facing England and playing Georgia in their final pool match in Palmerston North on Wednesday. Both Romania and Georgia will regard their final pool clash as their most 'winnable' game of the tournament. But Romania coach Romeo Gontineac insisted he was not saving his best players for the Georgia fixture, telling reporters after the team to play England was announced here on Thursday: "It's the team we trust. We trusted them before the World Cup and we trust them for this match on Saturday. "The risk would be to keep the same team because for two games we have played almost the same team." England have won all four of their previous Tests against Romania. That includes a 134-0 thrashing when the teams last met at Twickenham in 2001 for what was England's largest-ever points total in a full international. But Gontineac promised a very different result at Dunedin's Otago Stadium this weekend. "It's not going to be the same. England still have a very good team but the Romanian team has changed so it's not going to be the same." England manager Martin Johson was due to name his side, top of Pool B after wins over Argentina and Georgia, later on Thursday. Romania (15-1) Florin Vlaicu; Stefan Ciuntu, Ionel Cazan, Iulian Dumitras, Adrian Apostol; Marin Dumbrava, Lucian Sirbu; Ovidiu Tonita, Sandu Burcea, Cosmin Ratiu; Cristian Petre (capt), Valentin Poperlan; Silviu Florea, Bogdan Zebega, Nicolae Nere Replacements: Marius Tincu, Paulica Ion, Mihai Macovei, Daniel Ianus, Valentin Calefeteanu, Csaba Gal, Catalin Nicolae