Mihai Macovei leads a starting side with an average age of over 29 and a combined 684 test appearances.
Coach Lynn Howells made one change from the team that played in their last warm-up match, a 21-16 defeat by Tonga in Bucharest, Mihaita Lazar at loosehead prop in place of Andrei Ursache.
Tighthead prop Paulica Ion and flyhalf Danut Dumbrava will equal the Romania record of playing in four Rugby World Cups and Ovidiu Tonita could join them if he comes off the bench.
“The back line has pretty much picked itself with the experience they have, the forwards however have given me more of a headache,” Welshman Howells told reporters on Monday.
“The first game is always the most important and the lads I’ve picked are in the best shape and used to playing at the top level.”
1-Mihaita Lazar, 2-Otar Turashvili, 3-Paulica Ion,
4-Valentin Poparlan, 5-Johannes van Heerden, 6-Valentin Ursache, 7-Viorel Lucaci, 8-Mihai Macovei (captain); 9-Florin Surugiu,
10-Danut Dumbrava, 11-Adrian Apostol, 12-Florin Vlaicu,
13-Paula Kinikinilau, 14- Madalin Lemnaru, 15-Catalin Fercu
Replacements: 16-Andrei Radoi, 17-Andrei Ursache, 18-Horatiu Pungea, 19-Ovidiu Tonita, 20-Stelian Burcea, 21-Valentin Calafeteanu, 22-Ionut Botezatu, 23-Csaba Gal
(Reporting by Ed Osmond; editing by Justin Palmer)
