Radio Romania International Sports club

Rugby player Florin Vlaicu, at the end of his career

Florin Orban, 14.12.2022, 13:45

The Romanian rugby season has recently drawn to a close. This past Sunday, on the Triumphant Arch National Rugby Stadium in Bucharest In the Romanian Cup final, Steaua Bucharest outclassed trophy holders, SCM Timişoara, 25-23. The fixture also counted as the last match of his career, for one of Romanias best rugby players in recent years, Florin Vlaicu. A member of SCM Timisoaras lineup, on Sunday Vlaicu scored 13 points for his team, successfully scoring two essays and three penalty kicks, Practically, Vlaicu was his teams best player even for the retiring game.

Florin Vlaicu is one of the worlds very few rugby players to have scored more than 1,000 points for the national squad, rubbing shoulders with the likes of, among others, New Zealands Dan Carter, the Brits Jonny Wilkinson and Owen Farrell, the Welsh Neil Jenkins and the Irish Ronan OGara. Vlaicu also boasts the most caps for the national squad, 129.

Florin Vlaicu was born on July 26, 1986 in Bucharest. As a junior rugby player, he made his debut with Rugby Club Griviţa. As a senior rugby player, he first played for Steaua Bucharest. Vlaicu was also signed up by Farul Constanţa, CSM Olimpia Bucureşti and for Calvisano, in Italy. Florin Vlaicu then returned to Steaua. He also had a stint for CSM Bucharest, played for Steaua yet again, then he got transferred to SCM Timisoara in 2021. Concurrently, Florin Vlaicu has played for the Romanian Wolves since 2005, that is the team representing Romania in Rugby Europe Super Cup. For the Wolves, Vlaicu scored more than 300 points. Throughout his career, Vlaicu played as a fly-half, inside or outside center, or full-back.

In 2006, for a European Cup of Nations match against Ukraine Florin Vlaicu made his debut with the national squad. He was regular member of the national team for three editions of the World Cup, in 2007, 2011 and 2015, scoring 28 points all told. (EN)