Portugal sends young squad to South America

Portugal has named a 30-strong traveling party for their two-match tour to South America. Os Lobos will play Brazil in São Paulo this coming Saturday, November 9, followed by Chile in Santiago one week later on Saturday, November 16.

Former France international winger and coach Patrice Lagisquet is the new Head Coach for Portugal. His first squad is clearly focused on youth with the average age of just 23. There are only six players above 25 years old with AA Coimbra winger João Tavares the only player above 30.

Tavares is something of an anomaly in that he remains uncapped, one of a dozen such players in the squad. The others are all young players largely selected from Portugal’s increasingly competitive age grade program that saw them narrowly miss out on lifting the u20 Trophy earlier this year.

While the team is absent some of their top professionals such as Grenoble prop Anthony Alves and Montauban lock Jean Sousa, there are five named who play their rugby abroad. Most notable are two French forwards who have put their hand up for selection – Anglet prop Lionel Rodrigues and Bassin d’Arcachon lock Kévin Batista.

Some of the squad may be scouted for potential contracts in the new South American professional competition set to begin in some capacity in 2020. Two young stars from the u20 program – flyhalf Jerónimo Portela and winger Raffaele Storti – have already been signed according to Sudamérica Rugby president Sebastián Piñeyrúa.

Brazil have faced Portugal on three occasions, losing 68-0 in 2013 but by only 21-17 in 2016 and in fact winning by 25-21 in 2017. Chile have been defeated by the Lobos in all three tests played, the most recent a 28-22 defeat in November 2012.

EDIT: Portugal have made last-minute changes to their touring squad. Dropping out are second rows Kévin Batista and José Rebelo de Andrade, flyhalf José Rodrigues, and fullback Manuel Cardoso Pinto. Called up as reinforcements are u20 captain José Roque and uncapped fullback Dany Antunes.

FORWARDS
Francisco Bruno (Direito), José Conde (CDUL), David Costa (Direito), Diogo Ferreira (Aparejadores, ES), Lionel Rodrigues (Anglet, FR), Nuno Mascarenhas (Cascais), João Moreira (Agronomia), Kévin Batista (RCBA, FR), José D’Alte (Agronomia), José Madeira (Belenenses), José Rebelo de Andrade (Nottingham Trent, UK), Helano Alberto (Nevers, FR), Frederico Couto (Benfica), João Granate (Direito), Vasco Mendes (Direito), Manuel Picão (Coimbra), José Roque (CDUL), David Wallis (Belenenses)

BACKS
Duarte Azevedo (Belenenses), João Belo (CDUL), Pedro Lucas (Técnico), João Maria Lima (Agronomia), Jerónimo Portela (Direito), José Rodrigues (CDUL), Tomás Appleton (CDUL), Tomás Cabral (Agronomia), António Vidinha (Cascais), Simão Bento (Técnico), Raffaele Storti (Técnico), João Tavares (Coimbra), Dany Antunes (Massy, FR), Manuel Cardoso Pinto (Agronomia)