Coach Lagisquet adjusts lineup ahead of pivotal match
In their crucial Rugby World Cup Pool C fixture against Fiji, Portugal has made several key changes to their starting lineup, as they seek to end their tournament campaign on a high note. While the Portuguese team will exit the competition after the pool stage, Fiji needs a point from this match to secure a spot in the quarter-finals at the expense of Australia, who have never missed the knockout stages.
Portugal’s regular captain, Tomas Appleton, has been relegated to the bench for this match, with Manuel Cardoso Pinto earning a start at fullback, marking his first starting appearance in that position in 18 months. The changes reflect Portugal’s determination to conclude their World Cup journey with a memorable performance.
Head coach Patrice Lagisquet has opted to maintain a core of his first-choice players for this encounter, underscoring his commitment to fielding a competitive lineup for his final game in charge of the team.
In addition to Pinto’s inclusion, other notable changes in the Portuguese lineup include Jose Lima taking over as outside centre and captain in place of Appleton. Prop Francisco Fernandes will start the match, moving up from the bench, while Steevy Cerqueira and Jose Madeira reunite in the second row after previously starting in the 18-18 draw against Georgia in the knockout phase. Furthermore, Rafael Simones replaces Thibault de Freitas at number eight.
Despite the temptation to provide opportunities to other squad members, Lagisquet has chosen to maintain consistency within his team, emphasizing the same mindset and competitiveness that Portugal has exhibited throughout the tournament.
Lagisquet commented on the team’s choices, stating, “Because this team has shown a big capacity to compete against any team, we decided that we just keep the same line, the same mindset, and try to build the most competitive team. For some players, our choices were very difficult to understand because they expected to play.”
Although Portugal has captured the admiration of fans with their enterprising style of rugby, they have yet to secure a victory in a World Cup match, having lost all four games during their sole previous appearance in 2007. Nuno Sousa Guedes narrowly missed a last-minute kick against Georgia in their quest to break this streak.
Frenchman Lagisquet will bid farewell as coach after guiding Portugal to their first World Cup qualification in 16 years. He expressed his gratitude towards the players and his desire to achieve success with them, saying, “I want to search for the success they all expect and they deserve. I would like to share one more victory or something great one more time with them.”
Portugal Starting Lineup:
- Francisco Fernandes
- Mike Tadjer
- Diogo Hasse Ferreira
- Jose Madeira
- Steevy Cerqueira
- David Wallis
- Nicolas Martins
- Rafael Simoes
- Samuel Marques
- Jeronimo Portela
Rodrigo Marta - Jose Lima (capt.)
- Pedro Bettencourt
- Raffaele Storti
- Manuel Cardoso Pinto
Replacements:
- 16. David Costa
- Duarte Diniz
- Anthony Alves
- Duarte Torgal
- Joao Granate
- Joao Belo
- Tomas Appleton
- Vincent Pinto
