CRISTIAN Raducanu, the 22-year-old Romanian lock forward, will be
allowed to play for Boroughmuir. Permission has been received at
Murrayfield from the Romanian Rugby Federation, writes Bill McMurtrie.
Boroughmuir, however, have not listed the Romanian internationalist in
their team for the McEwan's league match against Melrose at Meggetland
on Saturday. He may have a game at a lower level.
Despite his defection in Edinburgh last month, less than two weeks
before the anti-Ceausescu rebellion, Raducanu would be welcomed back to
the Romanian team at any time. So would Laurentiu Constantin, the lock
who stayed on in France after Romania's international in Agen in
November 1987.
Mircea Paraschiv, the world cup captain who is now Romania's team
manager, said in Bucharest yesterday that he could see no reason why
Raducanu and Constantin could not play international rugby.
Radu Demain, the Romanian Rugby Federation's new general secretary,
had a similar message. His Telex to the Scottish Rugby Union not only
granted permission for Raducanu to play here, but also expressed the
federation's best wishes to the player.
Raducanu wants to be allowed to remain permanently in the United
Kingdom, but while that application is pending, he has been advised by
Refugee Council officials to keep away from media attention. However,
the paparazzi have all but camped out at Meggetland in the hope that the
Romanian will turn up.
He will, of course, be seen once he pulls on a blue-and-green jersey
to play for his new club. Until then Boroughmuir are having to thole the
dilemma of what is best for themselves and the player.
* * *
THE Wales team to play France in the Five Nations championship match
at Cardiff Arms Park on January 20 is:
P Thorburn (Neath); M Titley (Swansea), M Ring (Cardiff), M Hall
(Bridgend), A Emyr (Swansea); D Evans (Cardiff), R Jones (Swansea),
captain; M Griffiths (Cardiff), K Phillips (Neath), D Young (Cardiff), A
Allen (Newbridge), K Moseley (Pontypool), P Davies (Llanelli), M Jones
(Neath), G Jones (Llanelli).
Replacements -- C Davies (Llanelli), A Clement (Swansea), A Booth
(Cardiff), G Jenkins (Pontypool), H Williams-Jones (South Wales Police),
M Perego (Llanelli).
IAN WATKINS, the Cardiff and Wales hooker, has been banned for six
weeks by the Welsh Rugby Union, putting him out of the first two games
of the Five Nations Championship.
Watkins, sent off for what was described as ''butting'' against
Pontypridd on Boxing Day, already has missed the Welsh squad's training
trip to Portugal and misses the opening international against France in
Cardiff. His comeback game, against Newport on February 10, will be
after the Welsh have named the team to play England at Twickenham on
February 17.
Abertillery prop Mike Attwell has been banned for two weeks for
''fighting'' in the game against Rosslyn Park last month.
* * *
DUDLEY Wood, secretary of the Rugby Union, has written to all 2000
clubs in England demanding improved attitudes towards referees. Wood
says that the RFU have noticed ''outspoken and abusive criticism of
referees by coaches and players.''
Played yesterday
FRIENDLY MATCHES
Central Scotland Police 22, HMS Neptune 6; Hillhead/Jordanhill 2nd 21,
Glasgow Univ. 13.
SCHOOLS MATCH
Perth Academy 0, St Aloysius' College 64.
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