en Ionel Melinte

Ionel Melinte
	Melinte representing CSA Steaua in the 2017–18 SuperLiga, September 2017
Date of birth	31 January 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Ghindărești, Romania
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	83 kg (183 lb; 13 st 1 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Fullback
Current team	Le Rugby Club Hyères La Crau Carqueiranne, France
Senior career
Years	Team
2016–2019	CSA Steaua
2019–2021	CS SCM Timișoara
2021–	RCHCC
	Correct as of 4 April 2023
International career
Years	Team
2018–	Romania
	Correct as of 4 April 2023

Ionel Melinte (born 31 January 1996) is a Romanian rugby union football player. He plays as a fullback for professional Le Rugby Club Hyères La Crau Carqueiranne.^[1]^[2]

Club career

Ionel Melinte started playing rugby as a youth for CS Cleopatra Mamaia at age 16 and after three years he moved to Bucharest to finish his junior years with giants Steaua. After one year he joined the senior squad of Steaua where he played for three seasons. In 2019 he was signed by Timișoara Saracens.^[3]

International career

In November 2018, Melinte was called for Romania's national team, the Oaks, being part of the 34 man squad assembled in preparation for a match against the Os Lobos held for the Relegation/Promotion Play-Off of the 2018 Rugby Europe Championship, making his test debut on this occasion.^[4]^[5]