Rugby World Cup 2023 
[Source: Rugby World Cup]
Romania head coach Eugen Apjok has named his matchday 23 to face Tonga in Lille on Sunday, with hooker Ovidiu Cojocaru to captain a team showing nine changes from the defeat to Scotland. Regular captain Cristi Chirica drops out of the 23 altogether.
Head coach Eugen Apjok has made nine changes to his starting XV and has handed the captain’s armband to hooker Ovidiu Cojocaru who missed the record defeat to Scotland.
This will be the first time Cojocaru, 26, has captained Romania on the occasion of his 34th test.
Number eight Cristi Chirica, who has led Romania throughout RWC 2023, drops out of the matchday 23 altogether, with Andre Gorin replacing him at the back of the pack.
Adrian Motoc is the only Romanian player to have played in every minute of the Oaks’ campaign so far and that record could remain intact as he gets a fourth start at RWC 2023 in the second row.
Scrum-half Florin Surugiu will draw level with Mihai Macovei as Romania’s third most-capped player (104 caps) – behind Catalin Fercu (109) and his former half-back partner, Florin Vlaicu (129) – after being handed his first start of RWC 2023.
Simionescu has been sent to the sin-bin in two of his three appearances at RWC 2023, against Ireland and Scotland. He is the only Romania player to have received multiple yellow cards in Rugby World Cup history.
Backs Alexandre Bucur and Mihai Graure – both recent additions to the Romania RWC 2023 squad – will make their Rugby World Cup debuts if called upon from the bench.
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