Without shining, the Welsh secured a victory (28-8) against Portugal. It was the first match of this Rugby World Cup in Nice.
Wales and Portugal kicked off the Rugby World Cup matches in Nice. For the second day in Pool C, Portugal made its debut. In the Allianz Riviera stadium, which leaned more in favor of the Portuguese, the two teams did not disappoint. However, the Welsh made thirteen changes from the team that won against Fiji in Bordeaux.
Right from the start of the match, the Portuguese tried to set the pace and multiplied their attacking plays to challenge the Welsh defense. The teammates of Samuel Marques even had the opportunity to open the score, but the Portuguese scrum-half failed to convert the penalty.
Ultimately, the talent of the young Welsh prevailed over the Portuguese defense. In a nice offensive move, winger Halfpenny outplayed his Portuguese counterpart after kicking the ball ahead and finishing in the in-goal area. Despite this, the Portuguese did not change their philosophy and continued with their 50:22 tactics to apply pressure. The Welsh defense held strong against the Iberian attacks, despite a yellow card for their center James Williams.
After returning to full strength, the Welsh rubbed salt in the wound by scoring a second try at the very end of the first half, courtesy of captain and hooker Lake.
The halftime score was therefore (14-3) in favor of the Welsh. A heavy blow for the Portuguese, who would need to react in the second half if they wished to close the score gap.
A Less Enticing Second Half
The second half was more fragmented and less productive in terms of play. The Welsh couldn’t rediscover the offensive flair they exhibited years ago. On the other hand, the Portuguese struggled physically. Despite this, Guedes and his teammates scored their first try of the World Cup, much to the delight of the thrilled Nice crowd.
But it wasn’t enough, as Warren Gatland‘s men scored two more tries, including one at the very end of the match by flanker Faletau.
Thanks to this late try, they secured the offensive bonus point, resulting in a five-point victory. A sigh of relief in view of their qualification, as the Welsh will face the Australians next week in Lyon.
For the Portuguese, they ended the match with fourteen players following a yellow card, which turned into a red card after review for winger Pinto. A hard blow for the winger, who will be suspended for at least one match and will miss the game against Georgia on September 23rd.
