Super Cup #5
The Lusitanos XV defeated, in Lisbon, the Brussels Devils (53-14) and are unbeatable in this year’s edition of the Rugby Europe Super Cup.
Written by: Rui Neto Fernandes
The best part: This victory ensures that the Lusitanos will finish top of the Western Conference and that they’ll play the runners-up of the Eastern Conference in the semi-finals, at home.
The not-so-good part: Nothing to say, really. The Lusitanos XV completely dominated the match from the kick-off.
Player of the match: Nuno Sousa Guedes. In a game where the Portuguese back line had a great match, the Lusitanos’ full-back was the highlight of the match with a lot of metres gained, creating a lot of danger to the Belgian defence. He was involved in four of the tries scored and added 13 points to his tally (1 penalty and 5 conversions).
The Lusitanos XV faced this past Saturday, in Lisbon (Jamor), the team Brussels Devils, knowing that they were already qualified to the Rugby Europe Super Cup’s semi-finals and that a victory would ensure the first place in the Western Conference.
The Lusitanos started the match really well and scored their first try with only 90 seconds on the clock. Nuno Sousa Guedes came from behind, gaining several metres, before passing to Jorge Abecassis. It was also the Portuguese full-back that socred a penalty on the 6th minute and put the score in 8-0 for the home team.
On the 13th minute, the Portuguese scrum-half João Belo, did a quick “tap and go” near the Belgian 22 line, went through the blindside and scored the second try of the match. Duarte Diniz, at the 24th minute, following a good maul scored another try and put the score to 22-0.
The Brussels Devils tried to get back into the game and, following a good work from their forwards, scored their first try at the 29th minute through their captain Maximilien Hendrickx. However, the Lusitanos cut the Belgian reaction short and scored their fourth try 6 minutes later. In a great show of hands, the ball navigated the whole width of the pitch and it was João Granate that crossed the try line. At half-time, the scoreboard showed 29-7 for the home team.
The second half started the same way the first one had ended with Manuel Picão (43rd minute) and Pedro Lucas (55th minute) scoring two more tries, the latter following another brilliant play by Nuno Sousa Guedes.
At the 70th minute, the Lusitanos stole the ball in a line-out close to their 22 line. The young winger José Santos beat three Belgian defenders and scored the 7th try for the home team. The Devils put the score in 48-14 at the 75th minute by Noza Finfe before Manuel Picão (a great game from the Portuguese number 8) scored his second try of the match and settling the score at 53-14.
It was a convincing victory from the Lusitanos, the 5th in 5 matches. The Portuguese side faced the Dutch team Delta in the last round of the group stage, whilst waiting to find out who they’re going to face in the semi-finals of this competion (runner-up of the Eastern Conference).
The Lusitanos got 24 of the possible 25 points and are, without a doubt, the strongest side in the Western Conference. Besides the results, Patrice Lagisquet has been giving minutes to young players (some from the u-20 team) which will only help the Portuguese National team to qualify to the 2023 World Cup.
In the other match of the Western Conference, the Castilla y Leon Iberians beat Delta by 32-30 and are also through to the semi-finals.
It was the 5th consecutive victory for the Lusitanos that will finish the Western Conference top of their group. The next match will be against Delta, on the 11th December, in Lisbon, at 3pm.
