Ashburton welcome thrills Romanian team

Rugby officials and the Canterbury Romanian community flocked to Ashburton on Friday to welcome the Romanian team to New Zealand.

The Oaks will spend the week before Rugby World Cup 2011 training in Ashburton ahead of their first match, against Scotland, in Invercargill on 10 September.

"I didn't really realise how much excitement was building up inside me until I got here," said the team's coach, Romeo Gontineac.

"But being here, being welcomed with a haka and traditional Maori music has certainly made the competition in New Zealand feel very real."

Rugby World Cup Limited director Bill Beaumont thanked Ashburton for hosting the Romanian team before paying tribute to Christchurch, whose matches were cancelled after earthquakes in September 2010 and February this year.

"All of the rugby community feel for Christchurch," said Beaumont. "They have our support."
Beaumont, a former captain of England, also showed support for the Romanian team.

"Even though I'm English, I'll be watching the Romanians play and I hope they do well."
The local Romanian contingent cheered the 30-man squad, as they received their official caps from Mike Eagle, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

"The Romanian community in New Zealand is very small, but very loud," said the Oaks' media manager, Lucian Lorin.

Gontineac said New Zealand's love of rugby would make his fifth World Cup, the first as a coach, a memorable event.

"In New Zealand everybody loves rugby, it's the culture. Everybody, without exception, is passionate about it," he said.

"I hope people will see that while we're not the highest team, we are determined and we have a lot of spirit."