Rugby: CSM Stiinta Baia Mare takes championship of Romania

CSM Stiinta Baia Mare won the title of champion of Romania in rugby, on Saturday, after defeating CSA Steaua Bucharest by 24-22 (7-3 at halftime) in the final of the CEC Bank SuperLiga on the Municipal Stadium in Barlad. 

The players from Baia Mare thus took their sixth national title, adding to those conquered in 1990, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014. 

Stiinta started the match better and scored a first try through Adrian Apostol (12), transformed by Dorin Manole (13). Steaua put its name on the board with a penalty kick by Ionel Melinte (40). 

Just after half-time, however, Taniela Marawunawasawasa brought back the scoring difference through a drop goal (41). 

Andrei Florescu managed a try (48), with a conversion by Melinte (49), and Steaua leveled the scoring board for a short time at 10-10. Apostol managed his second try (52), with a conversion by Manole, after which Manole also put his name on the list of successful tries (55), taking the score to 24-10. 

The Bucharest side came back through a penalty try (62), Melinte also scoring a try (70), but Daniel Plai did not manage to score in the conversion, leaving Stiinta Baia Mare in the lead 24-22. 

Stiinta Baia Mare played its eighth final since the first division is played in the current format, while Steaua returned to the final act of the competition for the first time since 2011, their last title being conquered in 2006. 

The two teams have met before in finals, in consecutive years 2009, 2010 and 2011, all won by Stiinta. 

In the regular season, Steaua won the away match 19-15, while the second leg, in Bucharest, ended in a draw - 13-13.