Portugal adds bonus against Holland in World Cup qualification – Rugby
The Portuguese rugby team this Saturday set the goal of beating the Netherlands with a bonus point, adding nine in the rehearsals by 59-3 over the last closing of the Europe Championship 202.
In Caldas da Rainha, Portugal) it took 15 minutes to register the first touch of the goal, by João Belo, but when Duarte Diniz (25) widened to 19-3 and put the test difference at 3-0, enough to present arguments that the Dutch had no counter ‘wolves’.
Rafael Simões (39 and 42) did the four tests in the half and reopened the ‘hostilities’ in the second, in an afternoon that served as ‘training’ for the Portuguese team, in view of the definitive debates that follow in the qualification for the World Cup, against Spain (13 March) and Russia (19 March).
The challenge against the Russians, scheduled for Lisbon, is, however, confirmed by Rugby Europe, which suspended all rugby events in Russia, after that country’s invasion of Ukraine, and promised to announce new measures “in due course”, in line with World Rugby.
Indifferent to this, the ‘wolves’ played their role and added four rehearsals, by Rodrigo Marta47), Raffaele Storti56), Pedro Bettencourt (64) and Dany Antunes (78), who added seven transformations (to close) to 19 points on the day he returned to coach Patrice Lagisquet’s options for the first time this year.
Portugal is now in third place in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, with 21 points, the same as Spain (fourth) and one less than Romania (second), but with one more game than the two rivals, who face each other on Sunday in Madrid.
Georgia leads with 31 points and should guarantee the ‘announced’ qualification on Sunday, beating Russia, in the match that was, for now, suspended by Rugby Europe.
A possible exclusion of Russia from qualifying for the World Cup and the cancellation of all games could harm the Portuguese accounts, since Romania lost in Moscow territory where Portugal managed to add.
Game at the Municipal Sports Complex of Caldas da Rainha.
Portugal-Netherlands59-3.
At break: 26-3.
Under the refereeing of Italian Federico Vedovelli, the teams lined up:
– Portugal: Francisco Fernandes, Duarte Diniz, Anthony Alves, José Madeira, José Rebelo, Steevy Cerqueira, David Wallis, Rafael Simões, João Belo, Jerónimo Portela, Rodrigo Marta, Tomás Appleton, Pedro Bettencourt, Dany Antunes and Nuno Sousa Guedes.
Also playing: David Costa, Nuno Mascarenhas, Diogo Hasse Ferreira, João Granate, Manuel Picão, João Dias, José Lima and Raffaele Storti.
Rehearsals (9): João Belo (15), Duarte Diniz (24), Pedro Bettencourt (32, 64), Rafael Simões (39, 42), Rodrigo Marta (47), Raffaele Storti (56), Dany Antunes (78)
Conversions (7): Dany Antunes (16, 33, 40, 48, 57, 65, 78).
Coach: Patrice Lagisquet
– Netherlands: Hugo Langelaan, Ross Bennie-Coulson, Lodi Bujis, Dannis van Dijken, Jim Boelrijk, Christopher Raymond, Spike Salman, Dave Koelman, Mark Coebergh, Mees van Oord, Daan van der Avoird, Oliva Sialau, Bart Wierenga, Jordy Hop and Te Campbell .
Also playing: Michael Mbaud, Robin Moenen, Gabor Besuijen, Monty Leverstein, Liam Stone, Caleb Korteweg, Storm Carroll and Daily Limmen.
Penalties (1): Te Campbell (2).
Coach: Zane Gardiner
Disciplinary action: Yellow card for Dave Koelman (38).