Portugal loses against Georgia (38-11) and win the silver medal in the Rugby Europe Championship 2023.
Written by: Nuno Madeira do O
The best part:Portugal’s first half. Os Lobos had a very strong start and were exceptional on the set pieces that had given them a lot of headaches in the past. Portugal didn’t make a lot of mistakes, controlled the operations and the score at the break (12-11) felt too little for what they had played.
The not-so-good part: The second half of the match. Portugal wasn’t able to maintain the physicality it had shown in the first half and Georgia dominated. It felt like things changed when Portugal almost scored at the 55th minute (knock-on) a try that could have put Portugal ahead on the scoreboard (17-11 at the time). Not only Portugal didn’t score but Georgia scored 5 minutes later which was too much for the Portuguese team.
Player of the match: On the Portuguese side, we would like to highlight two players: Manuel Cardoso Pinto and Simão Bento. The former was a last-minute addition to the starting XV (replacing Rodrigo Marta) and was very active on the match, assisting Tomás Appleton for Portugal’s first try. The latter had already displayed all his skills in previous matches during the Championship and was again great at moving Portugal forward. However, our player of the match award goes to Akaki Tabutsadze. Besides the two tries he scored (top-scorer for the Championship) the winger gave the Portuguese defence a lot of headaches due to his amazing speed and physicality and assisted for a third try.
It was Rugby Europe’s Championship’s first final (new format) and Portugal lost the final (with a scoreline that was, perhaps, too harsh) against Georgia, winner of 17 of the last 23 editions.
Patrice Lagisquet had some absences from the usual starting XV: Anthony Alves and Sam Marques weren’t released by their clubs and Nuno Sousa Guedes, Raffaele Storti, and Rodrigo Marta were injured. However, Portugal came into the game with a bossy attitude and wanting to show they were there to win. Os Lobos were pressuring the Georgian line very well and were committing two men to each ruck which allowed them to control operations on the floor and retain possession. The first five minutes of the match were playing inside the Georgian half and brought the first points of the match: penalty won inside Georgia’s 22, Portugal with a quick tap and go, and Manuel Cardoso Pinto opening a gap on the opposite defence before offloading to Tomas Appleton who scored on the left. Try not converted and 0-5 for Portugal.
Losing, Georgia took the reins of the match and scored with 11 minutes played. Line-out, Portugal managed to stop the driving maul but conceded a penalty. After several phases of pick and go, it was Tabutsadze that crossed the try line. Abzhandadze added the extras and the Lelos were ahead.
Portugal was back on attack (and almost scored at the 17th minute after a driving maul expertly driven by Mike Tadjer) but Georgia was controlling the game. Niniashvili was playing a key role in this, kicking really well and pinning Portugal in its half. Portugal had some difficulty in covering its own 22 and the returning kicks weren’t always great. It was in one of these situations that Georgia scored again. After an excellent kick, Simão Bento was isolated in Portugal’s 22 and was put to touch. Line out won by Georgia with Tabutsadze circling behind the carrier and scoring (12-5 with 23 minutes played).
From that moment onwards, Portugal controlled the operations completely and played the remainder of the time in Georgia’s half. With 27 mins played, Georgia’s captain saw a yellow card and Simão Bento scored the penalty, reducing the gap to four points. Three minutes later, Nicolas Martins won a penalty on the ruck and again, Simão Bento with a great kick scored the penalty.
At the break, Portugal was down 12-11 and there was everything to play in the second half.
However, Georgia started the second half willing to settle things once and for all and with three minutes played scored another try (17-11). Portugal needed only one converted try to leapfrog them on the scoreboard and almost did it. At the 55th minute, Nicolas Martins (excellent performances throughout the whole Championship) offloaded to Pedro Lucas that was unlucky and didn’t catch the ball (knock-on).
From this point onwards, everything changed. Portugal not only didn’t score but to add assault to injury, Georgia scored again. At the 62nd minute, when Georgia already had a new front row and Portugal had only subbed out Mike Tadjer, Georgia won a scrum penalty. Kick to the corner, maul and try (24-11).
Georgia’s physicality was taking its toll on the Portuguese legs and the Lelos were able to play their physical rugby until the end of the match. With two more tries scored in 10 minutes, the scoreboard kept ticking until the final 38-11.
The next match between these two teams will be on 23rd September in Toulouse, in what will be Portugal’s second match in the World Cup. We hope – and believe – that things will end up very differently then.
