The Lobos started their Summer Tests against Italy – team placed in the 14th position of the World Rugby ranking.
Written by: Ricardo Camarinha
The best part: The attitude of the Lusos with a backline showing the ability to break experienced defensive lines. However, not enough to make up for the difference in the forwards, particularly in the set pieces.
The not-so-good part: Many set pieces, namely scrums, resulting from several forced and unforced errors, which undermined the pace of the match.
Player of the match: Samuel Marques, the scrum half of Portugal, influenced the match in all dimensions of the game. He showed high accuracy when kicking, what besides putting immense pressure on the back line of the Italians, kept Portugal in the lead until very close to the end of the match.
The match started with great pace and enthusiasm from the Portuguese, in front of 8,000 of their fans, and they managed to not let the Italian line progress on the pitch. After a penalty due to an offside of an Italian player, Portugal scored the first three points of the match, by Samuel Marques. This was the first visit of the Portuguese to the 22 of Italy, after 6 mins of game. At the 10-minute mark, the Giacomo da Re missed a penalty, and the opportunity to even the score was lost.
In the following minutes, Portugal managed to keep Italy playing in their half, thanks to brilliant tactical kicks from Samuel Marques. At the 15th minute, after Portugal created space near the line in position to score, Rodrigo Marta was tackled in the neck. The Italians saw a yellow card and a penalty try was awarded. Portugal had surprised the Italian and was leading 10-0.
With favourable wind, Portugal continued to kick long, maintaining the Italian team far from the 22m. The first time Italy visited with danger the 22m of Portugal, even with 14 men only, they managed to score through their scrum half, after a brilliant dummy, which opened way to cross the line. Giacomo da Re continued missing any attempt to the posts, most likely due to the strong wind.
5 minutes later, Rodrigo Marta in another long kick next to the 10m line, found the hands of an Italian player, who captured the ball for the second try of the afternoon. Giacomo da Re would miss again the conversion and the score would show a 10-10 draw. The match would be continuously interrupted due to unforced mistakes, mostly by the Portuguese forwards.
Close to the half-time, starting from a lineout, the Portuguese team had a fantastic sequence of passes, which isolated Rodrigo Marta who running to the try line managed to keep control of the ball first with the feet and then with the hands to score the second try for the Lusos. The Portuguese wing showed great technique and scored a great try. Samuel Marques added another 2 points in the conversion, not missing a single kick in the first half.
The second half started again with Samuel Marques leading the intentions of the home team, almost managing to block a long kick of the Italian scrum half, which could had been a new try for Portugal. Inspired, the Portuguese kept pressure and Sousa Guedes managed to break the line and passed the oval to Tomas Appleton who scored a try. The clock showed 43 minutes played. Even against the strong wind and from the lateral line, Samuel Marques added two points again. Portugal would lead by 14 points.
Three minutes after, phase after phase on the ground, the Italians scored their third try through their wing. With the conversion, Italy was now 7 points away from equalising the match. Portugal continued making unforced mistakes, continuously breaking their attacking momentum. The Italians got again to the Portuguese 22, this time through a lineout, and managed to drive a maul over the try line and score again. This uncovered one of the key weaknesses of the Portuguese defense and would be an important weapon to define the winner of the day.
On the 60th minute mark, Portugal avoided a new try in identical conditions by forcing an important penalty. Portugal managed to breathe and went back in the attack. Rodrigo Marta won brilliantly a ball in the air and motivated a deliberate knock-on, resulting on a yellow card for Italy. Benefiting from a lineout on the 5m line, Portugal scored in the corner after a few phases played. When Italy was on top of the match, the stadium would celebrate again a Portuguese try. Samuel Marques did not miss the conversion again and Portugal was in the lead again with just above 10 minutes to be played.
In the last 10 minutes of the match the Italians attacked again the Portuguese weak defensive line. From forced penalties, new lineouts would result in driving mauls and the replacement hooker, Traoure, would finally cross the try line again. The scoreboard showed Portugal 31 – 31 Italy.
In the last five minutes of the match, Rodrigo Marta saw a yellow card for tackle in the air. With only 14 men, the Portuguese could not sustain the attacking wave of Italy with through, again, a driving maul gave the win to 6 Nations team.
Conclusion
The Lobos were close to make history, but lost the match already in the last minutes of the second half – against a 6 Nations team that recently beat Wales in the last round of the major European Rugby Tournament. Italy was superior in the set piece play, however having to work very hard for the win. Regarding Portugal, there is much to be played on the road to the Rugby World Cup 2023. The Lusos have talent in several parts of the game, but need to overcome the weaknesses of their pack of forwards.
Argentina XV and Georgia are the upcoming opponents, two nations already with a ticket to France. Força Portugal!
