Wales’ second team will face the Lobos in their World Cup debut. Portugal returns to the Rugby World Cup after their previous participation in 2007. The Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, is in the stands.
Wales are in goal in the 10th minute when Rees-Zammitt fires a shot high, recovers and scores. Portugal hold their ground by covering the Welsh well and playing well with their feet. Unfortunately late in the first half the Dragons attack and head towards goal with Dewey Lake on the edge of the box.
Portugal were successful again in the second half, but Wales started stubbornly and Jacques Morgan scored in the 56th minute to make it 21-3. Excellent reaction from Lobos in the 63rd minute: free kick from five meters, excellent throw, no-look pass from Nicolas Martins, who scores the Portuguese’s first try. In the 75th minute, Rees-Zammit breaks through the Portuguese defense, accelerates and offloads to Davies, who scores… but there is a TMO: Zammit took advantage of Thomas Francis’s obstacle and marked the disallowed goal. In the 77th minute, Vincent Pinto received a yellow card for lifting his leg too far and kicking Josh Adams in the face.
In the 82nd minute, Wales get a bonus goal: a five-meter mix, the Dragons’ packaging is excellent, Faletau breaks free and scores. The insult reaches the Lobos: the bunker gives a red light for a foul by Vincent Pinto.
A good game by the Portuguese against Wales, who won despite difficulties and numerous mistakes. The physical gap between the two teams is noticeable, as is the technical one.
Scoreboard: 10′ goal Rees-Zammitt tr. Halfpenny (7-0), 38 minutes into the match. Marquez (7-3), 40′ Lake tries t. Halfpenny (14-3), 56′ Morgan tries t. Halfpenny (21-3), 63′ tries Martins (21-8), 80′ tries Faletau tr. Halfpenny (28-8)
Cards: yellow at 28 minutes for Johnny Williams (Wales), red at 77 minutes for Vincent Pinto (Portugal).
Wales: 15 Lee Halfpenny, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Jonny Williams, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Christ Tshiunza, 3 Dillon Lewis (c), 2 Dewey Lake, 1 Nicky Smith
Shop: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Thomas Francis, 19 Adam Bird, 20 Thane Basham, 21 Gareth Davis, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Josh Adams
Portugal: 15 Nuno Sousa Guedes, 14 Vincent Pinto, 13 Jose Lima, 12 Thomas Appleton (c), 11 Rodrigo Marta, 10 Jeronimo Portela, 9 Samuel Marquez, 8 Rafael Simoes, 7 Nicholas Martins, 6 Joao Granate, 5 Stevie Cerqueira, 4 Jose Madeira, 3 Anthony Alves, 2 Mike Tajer, 1 Francisco Fernandez
Shop: 16 David Costa, 17 Lionel Camperg, 18 Diogo Hasse Ferreira, 19 Martim Belo, 20 David Wallis, 21 Pedro Lucas, 22 Joris Moura, 23 Raffaele Storti
Stade de Nice, Nice
Referee: Carl Dixon (England)
Assistants: Luke Pearce (England), Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)