No stopping Portugal as they put on a show
Romania ……………………. 24pts
Tries: Cojocaru 20, Gontineac 43 , Neagu 59
Conversions: Conache 21, 44, 60
Drop goals: Conache 35
Portugal …………………….. 49pts
Tries: Cardoso Pinto 12, 68; Appleton 38, L Martins 51, 75, N Martins 80
Conversions: Aubry 13, 39, 52, 68, 80+1
Penalties: Aubry 18, 33, 63
Portugal's World Cup win over Fiji might rank as their finest ever victory but this extraordinary attacking feast in Bucharest runs that night in Toulouse very close.
With barely a handful of their World Cup starters on show – availability issues, injuries, retirements and a desire to test a new crop – Portugal ran a more than decent Romanian team ragged with six tries, all of them sumptuous efforts that belong on the sevens field. Portugal are rugby's ‘bazball' team and when it works look out.
The pyrotechnics earned them a home semi-final against Spain in Lisbon next month, the big showpiece game they have wanted since the World Cup when they can start to build on that legacy.
Their performance yesterday was doubly admirable given that their young side arrived under considerable pressure. After a shock defeat in Belgium in round one, this was a must win game on the road for Portugal. Defeat could have seen them miss out on the semi-finals.
Instead they won in style. Youthful half-backs Hugo Camacho and Hugo Aubry – both based in France – look exceptional talents. Scrum-half Camacho has a bullet pass and great pace, Aubry is cool as a cucumber and serious goal-kicker. Out on the wing Lucas Martins, younger brother of brilliant flanker Nicholas Martins, scored an eye popping brace of exceptional tries.
Meanwhile the MOM was arguably full-back Manuel Cardoso Pinto who glided in for two outstanding scores. Cardoso Pinto was in France but with Raffaele Storti, Rodrigo Marta and Nuno Sousa Guedes around, getting a start was problematic. Now though he is getting his chance.
Skipper Tomas Appleton, scored an important try just before half-time and Nicholas Martins completed the rout with a belter on the final whistle. Martins, who continues to look one of the best all-purpose back rowers in Europe, is likely to miss the A international with England at Welford Road along with all the ProD2 and Top 14 players who will be needed by their clubs.
As for Romania all is not lost although they have now drawn the short straw and will face Georgia in Tbilisi in their semi-final. For just over an hour they contested the issue fiercely, using their muscle and heft to good effect, throwing their powerful ball carriers at the Portuguese defence. Only in the last 15 minutes when Portugal's superior fitness and firepower really told did the game run away from them.
They scored a first-half try through skipper Ovidiu Cojocaru which Alin Conache converted and the composed young flyhalf also added a smart dropped goal to see them trail 20-10 at half-time. They came out firing after the break and a try from Taylor Gontineac saw Romania close to within three and, although Portugal pressed on, a third Romania try on the hour from Ovidiu Neagu again took them within three.
As they went in search of the win the game broke up which is not what you want against Portugal who took full advantage.
TEAMS
ROMANIA: Simeonescu 8; Dumitru 7, Gontineac 8, Tangimana 7, Manumua7; Conache 8 (Plai 72), Rupanu 7 (Surugiu 54, 6); Savin 7 (Hartig 64, 6), Cojacaru (c) 7.5, Bardasu 61, 6) Gordas 7 (Balan 64, 6), Muresan (Van Heerden 54, 6) Iancu 8, Rosu 7 (Mitu 54, 6), Neculau, 7, Strattla 7
PORTUGAL: Cardoso Pinto 9; Dos Santos 7 (Sayerse 61, 6), Lima 7, Appleton c) 8.5, L Martins 8.5; Aubury 9 (Rodrigues 80, 6) Camacho 8.5 (Azevedo 76, 6); Santos 7 (Vicente 70, 6) Bejic 8 (Arrojado 76, 6), Cunha 7 (Prim 70, 6) Belo 8, Torgal 8, Wallis 8 (Ruiz 70, 6), N Martins 9, Batista 8
REFEREE: Nika Amashukheli (Geo)
Star man: Manuel Cardoso Pinto – Portugal
