Rugby Europe Trophy 2021/2022
Portugal beats Germany 57-0
Written by: Nuno Madeira do O
The best part: an amazing display by the Portuguese team that didn’t give a chance to their opponents. They scored nine tries (and it could have been more) whilst Germany didn’t have a real chance.
The not-so-good part: It’s hard to find something to say after such a strong performance but the scoreboard could have been even more clear if Portugal had been more dominant on the scrums and had played faster off the ruck.
Player of the match: Portugal had several players who performed at a very high level (Ana Freire was very dominant physically, Mariana Santos and Daniela Correia created dangerous situations every time they had the ball, Mariana Marques and Sara Moreira also played really well) but our player of the match was Ines Spinola. What a match from the Portuguese winger: scored a hat-trick and still had time to assist for another try. Every time she cross the halfway line, she created danger. What a game!
It was under intense heat that Portugal hosted Germany (Jamor, Lisbon), in another round of the Rugby Europe Trophy. After a tight win against Belgium (10-8), there were high hopes for the match against the German team.
Portugal started the game at high speed and scored their first try with only 85 seconds gone: after several phases and a good breakthrough from Adelina Costa, Elsa Santos crossed the try line for what would be the first of the nine tries scored that afternoon. Portugal continued to dominate the game and could have scored again at the 4th minute, with an offensive penalty getting on the way of that.
Germany tried to have more ball but every attempt to progress on the pitch was stopped by the Portguese defence. The home team carried on attacking but we had to wait until the 15th minute for the second try of the match: line-out won by Portugal with Ines Spinola and Daniela Correia playing superbly with the former scoring the first of the three tries of the afternoon.
Portugal scored two more tries (21st and 28th minute) and one had to wait until the 30th minute to see Germany making an incursion into the Portuguese 22. However, due to Portugal’s excellent defensive work, nothing came of it.
Before half time, Ines Spinola had a brilliant chip and chase with the ball bouncing towards Mariana Santos that, with a dive, confirmed Portugal’s try. At the half-time, the scoreboard showed 31-0 for the home team.
The second half had a calmer start but Portugal would score again at the 55th minute: excellent offensive design with the ball travelling through five different player until the inevitable Ines Spinola that, on the right wing, scored her hat-trick.
The heat started to take its toll (25C in Lisbon) and both coaches started to refresh their starting XVs. On the Portuguese side, the first players to come in (60th minute) were Carlota Torres (for Elsa Santos), Leonor Amaral (Maria Vasquez) and Maria Costa (Mariana Marques).
Portugal scored two more tries (both through pick and go situations), sealing the final result at the 78th minute by Beatriz Rodrigues (Daniela Correia with the conversion).
Excellent match by the Portuguese side that sits on top of Pool B with 9 points in two matches.
