Portugal names squad for World Cup Qualifiers

Portugal have unveiled their 30-man squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers in Dubai. Head coach Patrice Lagisquet will have his strongest available lineup for the Repechage matches against Hong Kong, Kenya, and the USA. Some questions might however be asked about depth in certain positions.

Half the team are France-based professionals, with the others all part of Portugal’s Rugby Europe Super Cup side Lusitanos. All but two players – hooker Lionel Campergue and flanker David Wallis – were part of the mid-year matches against Italy, the Argentina XV, and Georgia. Loosehead prop António Machado is the only uncapped inclusion.

Machado’s place might have gone to Narbonne’s Geoffrey Moïse, who is mysteriously left out. The same also applies to Oyonnax center Pedro Bettencourt. Lagisquet has instead nominated Rodrigo Marta in the midfield, despite the strong chance he could start on the wing.

Perhaps the most surprising selection, or lack thereof, is at flyhalf where Jerónimo Portela is the only specialist included. Samuel Marques, Tomás Appleton, or Nuno Sousa Guedes could provide emergency cover but there is no sign of Jorge Abecasis, Francisco Meneres, or Brive’s Thomas Laranjeira. The latter formerly played for France u20 but is eligible under the union transfer regulation.

Os Lobos are currently ranked 20th in the world, only marginally behind the USA. They will open their Repechage against Hong Kong on November 6. The anticipated clash against the USA will be the final game of the round-robin on November 18.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
David Costa (Direito / Lusitanos) 15 caps
Francisco Fernandes (Béziers, FR) 37 caps
António Machado (Belenenses / Lusitanos) uncapped

HOOKER
Lionel Campergue (Bassin d’Arcachon, FR) 15 caps
Duarte Diniz (Direito / Lusitanos) 28 caps
Mike Tadjer (Perpignan, FR) 24 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Anthony Alves (Mont-de-Marsan, FR) 27 caps
Diogo Ferreira (Dax, FR) 26 caps
António Prim (Direito / Lusitanos) 1 cap

SECOND ROW
Steevy Cerqueira (Chambéry, FR) 6 caps
José Madeira (Grenoble, FR) 22 caps
José Rebelo de Andrade (Agronomia / Lusitanos) 16 caps
Duarte Torgal (Direito / Lusitanos) 15 caps

BACK ROW
Thibault de Freitas (Floirac, FR) 21 caps
João Granate (Direito / Lusitanos) 23 caps
Nicolas Martins (Charente, FR) 1 cap
Rafael Simões (CDUL / Lusitanos) 20 caps
David Wallis (Belenenses / Lusitanos) 17 caps

SCRUMHALF
João Belo (CDUP / Lusitanos) 21 caps
Pedro Lucas (Técnico / Lusitanos) 10 caps
Samuel Marques (Carcassonne, FR) 15 caps

FLYHALF
Jerónimo Portela (Direito / Lusitanos) 16 caps

MIDFIELD
Tomás Appleton (capt., CDUL / Lusitanos) 53 caps
José Lima (Narbonne, FR) 47 caps
Rodrigo Marta (Dax, FR) 24 caps

OUTSIDE BACKS
Simão Bento (Mont-de-Marsan, FR) 5 caps
Manuel Cardoso Pinto (Agronomia / Lusitanos) 23 caps
Vincent Pinto (Pau, FR) 5 caps
Nuno Sousa Guedes (CDUP / Lusitanos) 28 caps
Raffaele Storti (Béziers, FR) 15 caps