Romeo Gontineac
Romeo Stefan Gontineac is a Romanian rugby union coach and former player who played as a centre.
Gontineac played for Cluj Napoca in Romania, South Western Districts, in South Africa. He moved to France, where he played in FC Grenoble, Section Paloise and Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne, where he finished his career.
Gontineac held 75 caps, from 1997 to 2008, with 13 tries and 1 drop goal scored, 68 points in aggregate. He played all the matches for Romania in four Rugby World Cup finals, in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007, in an aggregate of 14 caps. He was also the captain at the last two presences.
He became a coach and was nominated head coach of Romania in 2010, succeeding Serge Lairle of France. Gontineac called upon the services of former All Blacks Steve McDowall to be his assistant coach in the qualifyings the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Romania qualified at the repechage, but disappointed at the finals, being unable to win a single match for the first time since 1995.
