CHRISTIAN Raducanu could write a book - and not just about his experiences on the rugby field.

Sedgley Park's Rumanian skipper defected after a game against Scotland during the Ceaucescu regime back in 1989.

He was in good company. World famous gymnast Nadia Comenec did a runner at the same time.

Ironically, four months later the revolution in Rumania happened, Ceaucescu was ousted and the oppressive Communist reign, stretching back to the Second World War was over.

But 31-year-old Raducanu, a second row forward with Leeds and Sale before joining Sedgley last season, had seen the world with Rumania and it opened up new horizons for him.

"I had been brought up under the Communist regime in Rumania. I was only a young lad of 20 when I defected. Things happened so quickly afterwards. If I had known about the changes that were going to occur maybe I would have stayed, but it was just a matter of getting on with life," says Raducanu.

"After defecting I found new friends and established new horizons. I was fortunate enough to have travelled since being a teenager, thanks to rugby. "I first came to England when I was 14. Since then I have also been to places such as New Zealand and Hong Kong to name but two."

Raducanu, an imposing figure on and off the pitch, is "hewn from stone, a marvellous physique". That is the way Sedgley chairman Dave Smith describes him. He was the youngest player at 17 to play in the World Cup.

Now he is putting that wealth of international and professional experience to good use with Sedgley, who are also passing that on to local schools in the area.

They receive visits from the Leeds-based star, who commutes along the M62 three or four times a week as well as running his new business importing and exporting Rumanian furniture and wicker work from bases in Leeds and Rumania.

But Raducanu still has plenty of time and energy to devote to the Sedgley cause.

"I joined the club because I was impressed with the set-up and the way they did things. Dave Smith was another reason for coming to Sedgley. He has helped me a lot, on and off the field," said Raducanu.

"The big rugby clubs are now beginning to regret the way they spent big money over the last couple of years.

"Leeds had 24 full-time professionals and a wage bill of £800,000-a-year on crowds of between 500 and 700. That's nowhere near good enough for a business like that. "Now they have 14 pros and the rest are part-timers. I asked their coach Phil Davies if he could help us out with a fly half because we have a problem with Rob Moon being out injured at the moment.

"But Leeds can't even afford to have a second flyer themselves these days.

"Rob has damaged his ankle ligaments and his leg is in plaster. But we're hoping he will only be out for a month or so. He's the club's major points-scorer, being the kicker. The league is very tight and we are going to miss him. We are looking at a loan, but nothing has come up yet."

While the Sedgley club are definitely ambitious, it's the steady approach that Raducanu admires and feels is correct in the current climate. It's the right way for the Park Lane men to lift themselves up the rugby ladder, as far as he is concerned.

"We set ourselves targets every month, but it is off the field where Sedgley Park are doing things the right way too. Encouraging more corporate connections and staging weddings, parties and lots of events on the social side is bringing money into the club and some of the people are coming back on Saturday to watch us too," Raducanu added.

"Its still tough at the top. You need money to get there - and twice as much to stay there."

A knee problem forced Raducanu to step down from the professional rugby union stage, but he is fighting fit again after an operation to clean up the problem and he says: "If Sedgley improve steadily year by year and we continue to hit our targets month to month I will be happy with that."

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