Petru Bălan
 | This biography of a living person includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (October 2022) |
| Birth name | Petru Vladimir Bălan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 July 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Suceava, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 122 kg (18 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Petru Vladimir Bălan (born 12 July 1976, in Suceava) is a Romanian retired rugby union footballer who played as a prop.
Before moving to play rugby in France he played for Dinamo Bucharest in Romania, including playing for them in the 1998–99 European Challenge Cup. He played for FC Grenoble in the 2002–04 Challenge Cup and European Shield competitions. He moved to Biarritz for the 2003–04 season. He was a part of the team that won the 2004–05 Top 16 and the 2005–06 Top 14. Also with Biaritz Olimpique were runners-up to Munster in the 2005–06 Heineken Cup.
He was a part of the Romanian team at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, playing two matches throughout the tournament held in Australia.
On 14 March 2008 Bălan signed for Northampton Saints in the Guinness Premiership. He was expected to join the club for the 2008–09 season, but back problems led to his contract being voided. After finishing the season with Biarritz, Bălan was idle until he signed a two-year contract with Fédérale 1 club Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Honours
- Club
- Dinamo Bucharest
- SuperLiga
- Champion: 1999–00, 2000–01
- Romanian Cup
- Winner: 1999–00, 2000–01
- Grenoble
- Biarritz
- Top 14
- Heineken Cup
- Runner-up: 2005–06
- Timișoara
- SuperLiga
- Champion: 2011–12
- International
- Romania
- European Nations Cup (3): 2000, 2001–02, 2004–06
External links
- Petru Balan on ercrugby.com
- Petru Balan on rwc2003.irb.com
- 1976 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Suceava
- Romanian rugby union players
- Rugby union props
- CS Dinamo București (rugby union) players
- FC Grenoble Rugby players
- Biarritz Olympique players
- US Dax players
- CA Brive players
- SCM Rugby Timișoara players
- Romania international rugby union players
- Romanian expatriate rugby union players in France
- 1999 Rugby World Cup players
- 2003 Rugby World Cup players
- 2007 Rugby World Cup players