CSA Steaua București (rugby union)

CSA Steaua București is a professional Romanian rugby union club from Ghencea, south-west Bucharest, which plays in the Liga Națională de Rugby, the first division of Romanian rugby. They are the most successful rugby union team in the Romania with 24 championship titles and 15 cup titles to their name. Steaua București`s annual operating budget is approximately 1,925,000 Euros.

History

The Steaua București rugby club was founded in 1948, under the wing of the CSA Steaua București sports club that had been founded by the Romanian Army the previous year, and had traditionally consisted of members drawn from ranks of the army, hence their nickname, the military men.

Steaua established crosstown rivalries with Dinamo București and Grivița Roșie București before winning the team's first Romanian Cup in 1950. The team won the league and cup double in 1953, and by the late 1950s, Steaua was winning domestic titles with regularity. Over the years, the team has also claimed success at the European Championships, winning two European Cups.

Over the years, Steaua București has produced several players that have represented the Romanian national rugby team including Daniel Barbu, Marin Ionescu, Alexandru Penciu, Rene Chiriac, Paul Ciobănel, Adrian Mateescu, Florică Murariu, Mircea Braga, and Răducu Durbac.

Honours Domestic Liga Națională de Rugby: Winners (24) (record): 1949, 1953, 1954, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006 Runners-up (13): 1955, 1956, 1960, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018–19, 2021, 2022 Liga Națională de Rugby: (in 7 players) Winners (13) (record) Cupa României Winners (16) (record): 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1974, 1977, 1978, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2019, 2022 Runners-up (5): 1954, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 Cupa Regelui: Runners-up (2): 2016, 2018

European FIRA European Cup Winners (2): 1966, 1973

Current squad Steaua București Liga Națională de Rugby squadProps Davit Abashidze Ramón Ayarza Vasile Balan Ionuț Pîrvu Matías Vidal

Hookers Tudor Butnariu (c) George Ilincuță

Locks Tornike Akubardia Bogdan Doroftei Damian Strătilă Matthew TweddleBack row Cristi Boboc David Dinescu Ionuț Donici Andi Radu Ionuț Tudor

Scrum-halves Alin Conache Amos Cornelius Cristian Nedelcu

Fly-halves Édouard Carp Matías Frutos Ioan Nichitean Taniela Rawaqa*Centres Pablo Casas Tomás Ferreyra Melle Haanstra Isaak Welch

Wings Ionuț Dumitru Rafael Florea-Jilaveanu Cosmin Iliuță

Fullbacks Robert Neagu Siba Xamlashe (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Romania on residency or dual nationality.

CSA Steaua București (rugby union)

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