Portugal coach, Frenchman Patrice Lagisquet, made four changes, all at the level of his pack, in his starting XV to face Australia on Sunday in Saint-Étienne (5:45 p.m.) during the 2023 World Cup, according to the composition of the The team revealed Friday. After the draw against Georgia (18-18) on Saturday in Toulouse, Lagisquet decided to renew half of his front eight for the Portuguese’s third match in Group C of the competition.
Pillar David Costa starts for the first time in this World Cup in place of Francisco Fernandes, replacing on the left. Martim Belo is associated with José Madeira in the second row in place of Steevy Cerqueira and David Wallis and Thibault de Freitas are aligned in the third row in place of Rafael Simoes and Joao Granate who do not appear on the match sheet.
Defeated, not without difficulty (28-8), by Wales during their first meeting, the Lobos then drew against Georgia and could have won at the very end of the match, if the kick by Nuno Susa Guedes, after a penalty awarded just before the siren, did not pass slightly to the left of the posts. After Australia, on the verge of elimination before its last match of the group stage, Portugal will face Fiji on Sunday October 8 in Toulouse.
Portugal’s team to face Australia: Sousa Guedes – Storti, Bettencourt, Appleton (cap.), Marta – (o) Portela, (m) Marques – Martins, de Freitas, Wallis – Belo, Madeira – Hasse Ferreira, Tadjer, Costa
Replacants: Fernandes, Diniz, Bruno, Cerqueira, Simões, Belo, Moura, Pinto