Rugby Europe Super Cup 2022: Second Round
The Lusitanos hosted and dominated the Brussel Devils (95-0) in the 2nd round of the Rugby Europe Super Cup 2022.
Written by: Rui Neto Fernandes
The best part: Lusitano’s victory that showed, very clearly, who was the best team on the pitch on that Saturday afternoon.
The not-so-good part: The conditions that the public has to endure at CAR Jamor. The seats are uncomfortable (brick with no back support), it is atrocious to watch the match under the torrid sun and, most likely, impossible to do so if it’s raining, the closest bar is 500m away from the pitch… We hope that the Portuguese Rugby Union rethinks where it hosts these matches because, in a competition as interesting as the Rugby Europe Super Cup, the fans deserve better. Additionally, if anyone wants to buy any Lusitanos’ merchandise they can’t because there isn’t any.
Player of the match: In a match where the Lusitanos dominated so clearly, there were several players that could have taken this “award” home. Both centres (João Belo and António Vidinha) had a great match and the full-back Manuel Cardoso Pinto gained a lot of metres and was involved in a lot of the tries that were scored on Saturday. The captain Tomás Appleton, this time playing at fly half, was once again the voice of authority on the pitch. However, the player of the match was Pedro Lucas. The scrum half rarely put a foot wrong: he conducted the Lusitanos’ offence, created plenty of chances for the other backs to explore the gaps on the Belgian defence, and was also on kicking duty that day. Oh, and he scored three tries too.
The Portuguese Rugby Union’s franchise team – the Lusitanos – hosted the Brussels Devils in the Rugby Europe’s Super Cup 2nd round match and completely dominated the match. The Lusitanos had beaten the Dutch team Delta (19-26) in the first round and the problems that last weekend’s match had shown (lack of continuity in attack, for example), completely disappeared in this match.
The fans were still adjusting on the seats when Manuel Cardoso Pinto scored the first try of the match, following a good offensive design from the Portuguese team. Three minutes later, Appleton recovered the ball near the halfway line and the same Cardoso Pinto assisted Pedro Lucas for a try scored under the posts.
The Lusitanos didn’t take their foot off the pedal and with eleven minutes played, João Belo, from inside the Lusitanos’ own 22, had a quick tap and go, with the whole team quickly developing the play. António Vidinha ended up assisting Pedro Lucas for his second try of the day. The scrum half kicked well and the Lusitanos were 21 points up.
Three minutes later it was António Vidinha’s turn to score following a good offload by the openside António Cerejo. The Lusitanos had such dominance (4 tries scored in 15 minutes) that the Devils didn’t really have a chance to score during that period of time.
The Devils had their first attempt at attacking at the 21st minute but Manuel Cardoso Pinto captured a kick and sped through a Belgian team that was attacking and hadn’t left anyone at the back. Ball to Duarte Diniz and the hooker easily crossed the try line. Four minutes later, Diniz scored his second try of the day, following a good maul.
It took the Devils 30 minutes to visit the Portuguese 22 but without creating real danger. In one of those situations, João Belo intercepted a pass before passing to Manuel Cardoso Pinto that scored the team’s 7th try of the day. At the break, the Lusitanos lead by a clear 45 points against nothing.
Those who thought that the Portuguese side was going to take things easy in the second half were quickly proven wrong and António Vidinha, following a grubber by the captain Appleton, scored his second try of the day. Three minutes later, Pedro Lucas scored his hat-trick following a good scrum and at the 51st minute mark, João Belo scored his own try – a well-deserved reward for what he had played thus far.
The Devils couldn’t keep hold of the ball and it was António Vidinha’s turn to complete his hat-trick, following another interception from the Belgian attach (71-0).
Until the final whistle, the Lusitanos scored four more tries: Rafael Simões at the 60th minute followed by his baby brother Frederico, following a maul. At the 70-minute mark, Appleton had another great grubber for Francisco Rosa’s try and, on the last play of the match, Duarte Azevedo scored the 15th try of the match and set the final score: 95-0 for the home side.
With this victory (and the accompanying bonus point), the Lusitanos topped the table in the Western Conference with 9 points. Next Saturday (24th), they travel to Spain where they’ll face the Castilla y Leon Iberians.
