Recent form: They lost 48-6 to pool opponents Scotland last November at Murrayfield and since then have beaten Spain, the Czech Republic and Namibia, although they did lose to Georgia.

Coach: Romania have always had strong rugby links with France and are on their third successive French coach. Daniel Santamans, a former hooker, has bolstered the scrum since taking over in 2004, but could bid adieu after the World Cup.

Captain: Number eight Sorin Socol is a naturalised Frenchman having played in France for 12 years.

World Cup pedigree: They are always there, but make up the numbers and exit at the pool stages.

World Cup high: What do The Oaks have in common with Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand, USA and Wales? They all won their first World Cup match.

World Cup low: Since then they have lost 13 out of 16, including a 19-11 defeat to Canada in 1991 which hit their best hopes of escaping the pool stages. The north Americans went on to meet New Zealand and Romania went home, never to get close to such heights again.

World Cup legend: Alin Petrache was a key figure in a wonderful comeback against USA in 1999. He twice rolled off a maul to touchdown as Romania came back from 12 points down early in the second to win 27-25 and earn a $300 bonus per man.

Present star: Prop Petru Balan moved to Biarritz after the last World Cup and has proved himself a valuable member of their team in the intervening four years. The 31-year-old played in the 2006 Heineken Cup final and has more chance of silverware with club than country.

Maverick: Dinamo Bucharest's 22-year-old scrum-half Valentin Calafeteanu is pushing Lucian Sirbu for a starting berth and knows that a good performance or two will back up a burgeoning reputation and bring in offers from overseas.

Enforcer: Beefy back-rower Ovidiu Tonita measures 6ft 5ins and tips the scales at more than 15 stone. Run into the Perpignan regular and you'll be purple and blue.

Strengths: With Balan at loose-head and a host of big forwards backing him up, it is easy to see where Romania pack a punch and will channel their energies.

Weaknesses: Scrum-half Petre Mitu is out because of a dispute with the union but Lucian Sirbu and his young deputy Calafeteanu have stepped into the breach and link well with Ionut Tofan. The worry is that there is not much beyond the half-backs. Anyone for 10-man rugby?

Did you know? The Romanian squad are hopeful they will be adopted by the hosts as their second team as 60% of the 30-man squad play their club rugby in France. Up front, 13 of the squad's 16 forwards are French-based.

World Cup base: Agen

They say: "The team is ambitious and while not being pretentious, our daily motivation and objective is to create a surprise in the competition. The Portugal game represents our best chance of a win, but perhaps we can raise our game to beat Italy and maybe even Scotland." Daniel Santamans

You say: "NZ, Italy, Scotland, Romania, Portugal."
CreamCraicer on 606

World ranking: 16

Odds: 1000/1

Our verdict: While they are talking up the Italy match, it is really all about Portugal and keeping New Zealand to under 100. While they will beat the Portuguese, there are no guarantees about that century of points.

Ranking and odds correct at 26 August. Odds supplied by William Hill.