Today's clash at Lansdowne Road constitutes a mini World Cup final for the USA and Romania. They will have targeted this game before the competition and can each harbour genuine aspirations of victory.
Romania were certainly the more polished looking side in their opening match, surprisingly lively and accomplished and unfortunate to ship a 50 points plus mauling by the Australians at Ravenhill. In Petre Mitu they boast a superb scrum-half and the return of captain, second row Tudor Constantin, will bolster a strong pack.
In contrast the USA derived little satisfaction from their opening defeat to Ireland, the level of unforced turnovers a major concern for coach Jack Clark. They will need to address deficiencies at the line-out and produce a less pedestrian and more enlightened approach behind the scrum.
The emphasis on using the centres as battering rams is unlikely to produce any more success this time out. The reality of the match is that both sides must chase a significant points margin if they are to entertain hopes of reaching the knockout stages as the best third-placed team in the competition - this, of course, assumes that today's combatants will both lose their final Pool matches.
A cavernous Lansdowne Road won't provide too much in the way of atmosphere given the minimal interest in the game outside of the two camps. However, with national pride at stake, both teams won't give much consideration to the backdrop.
On the evidence of their respective first outings, Romania appear the more complete team and must be favoured to continue the Americans' unhappy sequence of not having won a match in the World Cup finals since defeating Japan in 1987.
USA: K Schuman; V Anitoni, J Grobler, M Scharrenberg, B Hightower; D Niu, K Dalzell; G Sucher, T Billups, R Lehner; L Gross, A Parker; D Lyle (capt), R Lumkong, F Mo'unga. Replacements: T Takau, D Stroble, R Tardits, S Paga, D Hodges, J Clayton, K Khasigan.
Romania: M Vioreanu; C Spuan, G Brezoianu, R Gontineac, G Solomie; L Vusec, P Mitu; C Stan, P Balan, R Mavrodin; T Constantin (capt), T Brinza; A Petrache, C Dragoceanu, E Septar. Replacements: M Iacob, I Tofan, R Fugigi, F Corodeanu, D Cniriac, N Dima, S Demci.
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland).
