Brazil at full strength for Portugal

Brazil is to be at full strength for this Saturday’s test match against Portugal. Os Tupis will take on Os Lobos in São Paulo in their first of two home internationals as part of the 2019 November Internationals. The second match will be against the Barbarians. The South American touring Portuguese will play against Brazil and Chile.

Rodolfo Ambrosio has selected a 31-man roster to prepare for the matches. Included are four players based abroad. Matteo Dell’Acqua and Lorenzo Massari arrive from Italy with Josh Reeves set to return to Utah for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Uncapped center Paulo Kretteis, 23, plays for amateur club Ealing 1871 in London who previously attended Princeton University.

There are five new players in all. Joining Kretteis are two members of the World Rugby u20 Trophy squad in scrumhalf Felipe Cunha and winger Vicent Quirino. Former u20 captain and loosehead prop Piero Pozzi, 21, is called for the first time, while South African flanker Devon Müller, 22, is now eligible for test rugby having previously played against the New Zealand Māori before completing his residency requirements.

Those based domestically are set to form the backbone of Brazil’s entry into the new South American professional competition set to begin in February. Former captain Yan Rosetti has left Argentina to prepare while Arthur Bergo has returned from his own spell in Major League Rugby.

Of the 25 players who played in Brazil’s most recent international, against the Uruguay XV, five have not been retained for Portugal. Four are front rowers in Brendon Alves, Pedro Bengaló, Joel Ramírez, and Endy Willian. The other is center or wing De Wet van Niekerk.

FORWARDS
Lucas Abud (Poli), Piero Pozzi (São José), Matheus Rocha (Jacareí), Caíque Silva (São José), Wilton Rebolo (Pasteur), Yan Rosetti (Pasteur), Matteo Dell’Acqua (ValoRugby, IT), Gabriel Paganini (Bandeirantes), Lucas Piero (Desterro), Luiz Vieira (São José), André Arruda (Pasteur), Arthur Bergo (Pasteur), Matheus Claudio (Jacareí), Cléber Dias (Poli), Michael Moraes (São José), Devon Müller (Pasteur)

BACKS
Laurent Bourda-Couhet (Bandeirantes), Felipe Cunha (Pasteur), Douglas Rauth (Curitiba), Lucas Duque (São José), Josh Reeves (Utah Warriors, US), Moisés Duque (São José), Paulo Kretteis (Ealing 1871, UK), Lorenzo Massari (Parabiago, IT), Felipe Sancery (capt., São José), Daniel Lima (Poli), Vicent Quirino (São José), Ariel Rodrigues (Poli), Robert Tenório (Poli), Daniel Sancery (São José), Lucas Tranquez (Poli)