The only Romanian playing professional rugby in the United Kingdom, Paulica Ion is looking forward to their IRB Nations Cup encounter with Emerging South Africa on Friday - the winner of which will be crowned the 2008 champions.
Ion, the tighthead prop who plays for Bath Rugby in England, knows the defending champions will not be an easy task for his Romanian side to overcome, even with home advantage at the Arcul de Triumf Stadium in Bucharest.
"We are playing a very strong side, well-drilled and very talented," explained Ion, who at only 24 is the senior citizen of the Romanian front-row fraternity. "We want to play well, irrespective of who wins.
"Of course we would like to make history winning the tournament for the first time, but so do the South Africans. We must eliminate unforced errors, do the necessary right and that may help us in the final on Friday. It all depends on the day."
The quiet and unassuming prop is well respected for his graft and strength, although Ion admits that when he first joined up with the Romanian squad for this tournament in Bucharest, he found the intensity and physicality of training and playing a bit hard.
"I was a bit under par, a bit tired. It did not feel right, so I really did not do that well in the first match against Uruguay. Besides, my opposite number Sanchez was a very experienced player so he gave me a hard time.
"I found the second match against Russia much easier, simply because I felt better. I felt more comfortable, although the Russian front five were very abrasive and tight. On top of that winning was very rewarding, after losing to Russia the last three matches.
"The score was really immaterial. A win is a win as they say in England and it is nice to reach the final match unbeaten. We are building the team spirit as well and we started to feel very much like a bunch of brothers.
"I have been together with some of the boys here since we were playing age-grade rugby and the feeling is right. We all want the same thing and we somehow feel that it is now in our own hands to deliver."
Ion's grasp of English has also become a clear asset in the new Romanian team environment since the arrival of two New Zealanders - director of rugby Ellis Meachen and former All Black and conditioning coach Steve McDowell.
Both Meachan and McDowell are former front row men and Ion finds this beneficial.
"It is great working with the New Zealanders. This knowledge is top class as well as their attention to detail and that to a large extent matches very much what we do at Bath," explained Ion.
"It is attention to detail that makes the difference. Is not that we did not know all that. We knew them but we have been taking them for granted, and ultimately ignoring them."
