Technical staff of the national rugby team of Romania, headed by Lynn Howels, resigns

The technical staff of the national rugby team of Romania, consisting of the head coach Lynn Howells (photo), the training coach Rob Moffat and the forward driver Massimo Cuttitta, resigned on Saturday after the match with Belgium, won by Romania in Buzau 62-12 (29-5).

It was not an easy decision to make. The last five years have been great, there were years of beautiful sporting adventure with a beautiful team. I enjoyed working and coordinating a team that has always wanted victory and which has always been dedicated to the goal. I wish the team a lot of success, a further increase in the game and the best possible evolutions, Howells said.

Welshman Lynn Howells is one of the most titled coaches who led the national rugby team. He was coach of Wales U21, of the second Wales team, second coach of the Welsh national team in South Africa and Zimbabwe tournaments and coach of Wales in the tournament in Japan.

Romania recently defeated by Spain 22-10, but risks losing the World Cup qualification in 2019.

2018 saw Howells lead Romania into the final stages of the 2019 European Rugby World Cup qualifiers. Howells began the 2018 Rugby Europe Championship with a 85–6 victory over Germany, however was defeated by Spain the following week, 22–10, for the first time since Howells first took over in 2012. Romania returned to winning ways in rounds three and four, defeating Russia 25–15 and Belgium 62–12. Despite this, following the conclusion of the Belgium game on 10 March, Howells and his staff announced their resignation from the team with immediate effect, despite there still being one round yet to be played in the Championship. He left Romania in a position where they were guaranteed a top 2 finish in the European qualification stages, and still in a chance of qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, whether it’s as Europe 1 or having to progress through the play-off phases.

Howells leaves Romania with a 70% win rate, winning 49 out of 70 games.

Lynn Howells (born 29 May 1950) is a Welsh rugby union coach. Howells, born in Maerdy in Rhondda Valleys, played flanker at his nearest club Tylorstown RFC, before playing for Penygraig RFC. There he was noticed by Pontypridd RFC, and represented one of the top clubs in Wales in 1971.

file photo