Ovidiu Tonita
Encyclopedia
Ovidiu Toniţa is a Romania
n rugby union
footballer. A former lock
and presently a flanker and number 8, he plays for the French
side USA Perpignan
and for the Romanian national team
. He is noted for his size, which is considered unusual for his position on the field. His supporters are known to have compared him to the Australia
n footballer John Eales
, and he is often seen as Romania's key player.
Born in Bârlad
, Toniţa worked as a soft drinks distributor for The Coca-Cola Company
from age 15, and played rugby as an amateur in his native country. He moved to France, where he played in the Top 14, originally for FC Grenoble
(2001–2002), and later for Biarritz Olympique
(2002–2004).
In 1999, at the age of 19, he made his international debut as a reserve for the Romanian national team, being one of the youngest players at the 1999 Rugby World Cup
. His test
debut was against the Netherlands national team
in 2000. He won his first 14 caps
as a lock, and established himself as a flanker after moving to Perpignan.
He was present on Romania's squad at the 2003 World Cup
, was injured for three months in early 2005, and took part in the 2007 World Cup
, where he was Romania's vice-captain. During the latter event, as Romania prepared to face the Scottish side
, Toniţa was deemed "perhaps [Romania's] one world-class player" in a Scotsman
article. An analysis of the Romanian squad, published by The West Australian
, noted that Toniţa "is a class act in the scrum", while arguing that, given Romania's poor results: "The sad thing for him is that he is playing with the wrong generation of players."
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer. A former lock
Rugby union positions
In the game rugby union, there are fifteen players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs . Depending upon the competition, there may be up to eight replacement players. Early games consisted primarily of forwards that attacked plus a handful of "tends" that played back in defence...
and presently a flanker and number 8, he plays for the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
side USA Perpignan
USA Perpignan
Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais or Unió eSportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà , generally abbreviated as USAP in both languages, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. The club currently competes in the Top 14, the top level of the French...
and for the Romanian national team
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
. He is noted for his size, which is considered unusual for his position on the field. His supporters are known to have compared him to the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n footballer John Eales
John Eales
John Eales AM is an Australian former rugby union player and the most successful captain in the history of Australian rugby.-Early life:...
, and he is often seen as Romania's key player.
Born in Bârlad
Bârlad
Bârlad is a city in Vaslui County, Romania. It lies on the banks of the Bârlad River, which waters the high plains of eastern Moldavia....
, Toniţa worked as a soft drinks distributor for The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
from age 15, and played rugby as an amateur in his native country. He moved to France, where he played in the Top 14, originally for FC Grenoble
FC Grenoble
Football Club de Grenoble Alpes Rugby is a French rugby union club which, until recently, competed in the top level of the French league system. They play at Stade Lesdiguières . They wear red and blue.-History:...
(2001–2002), and later for Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
(2002–2004).
In 1999, at the age of 19, he made his international debut as a reserve for the Romanian national team, being one of the youngest players at the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. His test
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
debut was against the Netherlands national team
Netherlands national rugby union team
The Netherlands national rugby union team are a national sporting side of the Netherlands, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 1930.-History:...
in 2000. He won his first 14 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
as a lock, and established himself as a flanker after moving to Perpignan.
He was present on Romania's squad at the 2003 World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, was injured for three months in early 2005, and took part in the 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, where he was Romania's vice-captain. During the latter event, as Romania prepared to face the Scottish side
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
, Toniţa was deemed "perhaps [Romania's] one world-class player" in a Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
article. An analysis of the Romanian squad, published by The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
, noted that Toniţa "is a class act in the scrum", while arguing that, given Romania's poor results: "The sad thing for him is that he is playing with the wrong generation of players."