Rugby Union: Resolute Wales enter the unknown: The Five Nations champions' crucial World Cup fixture stirs unwelcome memories of past humiliations by the Romanians

LIKE most international coaches, Alan Davies spends half his life poring lovingly over videos, so imagine his frustration when all he managed to get of the Romanians ahead of Wales's World Cup ranking match this afternoon was 3 1/2 minutes.

Perhaps Davies should be grateful, though he did advise that he made sure to watch the 210 seconds twice. Months ago Wales requested material but were told by Romanian Television, first, that it had no access to video machines and then, alternatively, that it could not get the recordings out of the country.

The Iron Curtain may long since have come down, Ceausescu executed and the people here restored to life, but some things - information exchange, for example - evidently never change. Wales go into the game at the former 23 August Stadium, where they trained in 90F heat at midday yesterday, largely in ignorance of their opponents beyond the facts that they have a big pack, made slightly bigger yesterday by the tactical promotion of the 6ft 5in Traian Oroian from bench to flank instead of Catalin Draguceanu, and a big- kicking outside-half.

For those prone to deja vu this is disturbing, because it was precisely thus that Wales travelled - not very hopefully - to Bucharest in 1983. Why else would they have picked a lightweight back five to combat one of the largest packs in world rugby at the time?

The result was calamitous. If to travel had not been hopeful, to arrive was absolute despair. The Welsh forwards were tossed about and eventually submerged like a daffodil being swept down the Danube, the last vestige of their 1970s superiority obliterated by a

24-6 defeat.

This time there is less conceit and more street-wisdom, as well as a proper nervousness that Bucharest can be a thoroughly uncomfortable place to visit, and that the outcome of the round-robin that also includes Italy will have a profound bearing on prospects for South Africa next year. Indeed, Theodor Radulescu, the Romanian coach, goes further: 'For us it's the game which makes or breaks our World Cup campaign.' The ultimate winners, or Europe 1, will qualify for Pool C with New Zealand, Ireland and probably Japan. Europe 2 will go into Pool B with England, Western Samoa and Argentina. Worst of all, Europe 3 entails Pool A with South Africa, Australia and Canada.

The three countries' destinations - and possibly destiny - will be settled after Italy have played Romania in Catania on 1 October and Wales in Cardiff on 12 October. 'Europe 1 is very important to us,' Robert Norster, the Wales manager, said. 'Even playing New Zealand in the second game, we believe playing in that pool would give us the best chance of getting through to the last eight.'

Injury caused Norster to miss the 1983 debacle, a key absence which did untold harm to the Welsh line-out that day. The lucky lock also missed the 15-9 home defeat by Romania in 1988, another landmark along the road leading to Wales's failure to pre-qualify for the 1995 World Cup. Qualification was accomplished in Portugal and Spain in May and most of the subsequent performances on tour in Canada and the South Pacific indicated that Wales had learned to play rather better than 11 years ago when a long way from hearth and home.

They are also, let us not forget, the Five Nations champions - an unexpected achievement that has had a wondrous effect on previously fragile confidence.

On the other hand, Wales have not been helped by Scott Quinnell's withdrawal. Emyr Lewis may seem a perfect No 8 replacement but the fact remains that the traumatic summer which saw his sacking by Llanelli followed by just one appearance so far for Cardiff is imperfect preparation for so critical a test.

What Wales do know is that Romania have played and won four this year, including a 26- 12 victory over Italy in May which was made to look better and better by the Italians' subsequent near misses in Australia. 'We're not underestimating them,' Norster said. They wouldn't dare.

ROMANIA: V Brici (Farul Constanta); L Colceriu (Steaua Bucharest), N Racean (Cluj University), N Fulina (Farul Constanta), G Solomie (Timisoara University); N Nichitean (Cluj University), D Neaga (Dinamo Bucharest); G Leonte (Vienna), G Ion (Dinamo Bucharest), G Vlad (Grivita Bucharest), S Ciorescu (Auch), C Cojocariu (Bayonne), A Guranescu (Dinamo Bucharest), T Brinza (Cluj University, capt), T Oroian (Steaua Bucharest).

WALES: M Rayer (Cardiff); I Evans (Llanelli, capt), N Davies (Llanelli), M Hall, N Walker (both Cardiff); N Jenkins (Pontypridd), R Moon; R Evans (both Llanelli), G Jenkins (Swansea), J Davies (Neath), P Davies (Llanelli), Gareth Llewellyn (Neath), H Taylor, E Lewis (both Cardiff), R Collins (Pontypridd).

Referee: D McHugh (Ireland).