Match Preview – Brazil vs Portugal

The rise of Brazil in recent years has made it possible for Os Tupis to enter the international windows. This is a change from the past wherein Brazil relied exclusively on South American Championship opportunities. On Saturday Latin America’s largest country will host Brazil in São Paulo and doing so in search of a first-ever victory over Os Lobos.

The match is to be the third time the countries have played each other. The most recent match was in Portugal in 2016. On that occasion the Europeans ran-out 21-17 winners. Prior to that Portugal won 68-0  in 2013 in São Paulo. In 2017 Brazil has beaten Canada while Portugal is struggling in Europe, unable to return to the top division of the European Nations Cup.

In World Rankings the teams are separated notably. At present Brazil is 31st in the world while Portugal is 25th. A Brazilian win would see Portugal falling to 27th while has the opportunity to move ahead of South Korea, Chile and Switzerland.

For the fixture Brazil has a new captain. Nick Smith passes on the captain’s armband to hooker Yan Rosetti. Head Coach Rodolfo Ambrosio has named him to partner Jonatas Paulo and Matheus Rocha in the front row.

In total seven of the starting XV from the test last year are to start again. Ambrosio has stayed true to his side from recent activities in the Americas Rugby Championship and South American A Championship tournaments.

The Sancery twins will look to expose Portugal’s defense. They are to play at outside center and fullback respectively. Speed will be found out wide with Stefano Giantorno and Lucas Tranquez named as the wingers.

Additional brothers can be found in the Duque’s. They are to again play at scrumhalf and inside center. New Zealander Josh Reeves continues to play between them at flyhalf.

Portugal have named the same front-row from the December match in Coimbra. Also starting again is veteran second row Gonçalo Uva. Flanker Sebastião Villax is the remaining forward retained.

There are three backs who will again start vs Brazil. They are to be center Tomás Appleton and halves Nuno Penha e Costa and Francisco Pinto Magalhães.

BRAZIL
1 Jonatas Paulo, 2 Yan Rosetti (capt.), 3 Matheus Rocha, 4 Cléber Dias, 5 Gabriel Paganini, 6 André Arruda, 7 Arthur Bergo, 8 Nick Smith, 9 Lucas Duque, 10 Josh Reeves, 11 Lucas Tranquez, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery, 14 Stefano Giantorno, 15 Daniel Sancery

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian, 17 Caíque Silva, 18 Pedro Bengaló, 19 Matheus Daniel, 20 João Luiz da Ros, 21 Laurent Bourda-Couhet, 22 De Wet van Niekerk, 23 Robert Tenório

PORTUGAL
1 Bruno Medeiros, 2 Duarte Diniz, 3 Francisco Bruno, 4 José Rebelo de Andrade, 5 Gonçalo Uva, 6 Geordie McSullea, 7 Sebastião Villax, 8 João Lino, 9 Francisco Pinto Magalhães, 10 Nuno Penha e Costa, 11 Adérito Esteves, 12 José Luis Cabral, 13 Tomás Appleton, 14 Gonçalo Foro (capt.), 15 Manuel Cardoso Pinto

Replacements: 16 João Corte Real, 17 Nuno Mascarenhas, 18 José Conde, 19 João Granate, 20 Francisco Appleton, 21 Jorge Abecasis, 22 Manuel Quéiros, 23 Caetano Castelo Branco

Date: Saturday, June 10
Venue: Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Kickoff: 13:00 local (17:00 Portugal)
Referee: Damián Schneider (UAR)
Assistants: Henrique Platais (CBRu) & Ricardo Sant’Anna (CBRu)
Broadcasts: Esporte Interativo, EI MAXX 1, Live Stream