An excellent first half showing helped Spain secure a 19-7 away win in Portugal to start their women’s Rugby Europe Championship campaign off positively.
The visitors to the Estádio Municipal do Cartaxo in Cartaxo for the opening game of the four-team event were favourites going into this contest giving that they have dominated the competition since 2016.
And, at times, they showed just how good they can be, but it was not a full 80-minute performance as Portugal battled back.
Indeed, Portugal can take a lot of heart from their performance, especially in the second half, after being 19-0 down at one stage.
Spain got off to the perfect start after just five minutes when full-back Clàudia Peña Hidalgo scored the opening try.
The same player showed her quality to go over again in the 12thminute and stand-off Amalia Argudo converted that one to make it 12-0.
Spain winger Claudia Cano was then yellow carded which could have given Portugal a way into things, but no points were scored while she was off the field.
And, on the half hour mark, with Spain back to 15 players they scored try number three.
The scorer this time was centre Alba Vinuesa and with Argudo’s conversion Spain were well in control at 19-0.
Many onlookers would have expected Spain to kick on from there and really put a few points on the board, but credit to Portugal.
They tightened things up defensively and there was no more scoring until the 74th minute.
When those points did come they were from Portugal via a try from replacement front-rower Elsa Santos. Full-back Daniela Correia, who in the 68th minute had missed a penalty, made no mistake with the conversion as things finished 19-7 to Spain.
The next match in the competition is Spain at home to Sweden this coming Saturday while Portugal are in the Netherlands on Sunday.
This short, sharp event runs until April 19.
Meanwhile, there were two men’s Rugby Europe Trophy games on Saturday just gone.
First up, Lithuania hosted Czechia at the Baltrex Stadium and the visitors impressed in coming out on top 44-3 with a bonus point.
That leaves Czechia second in the standings in the six-tea event having completed their five matches while Lithuania are fifth after finishing off all of their fixtures.
Sweden are the current leaders after they went to Luxembourg later on Saturday and won 57-18 with a bonus point.
They are unbeaten in an event that runs until April 12 and, if Poland can beat bottom side Luxembourg this coming Saturday, then the final match between Sweden and Poland will be a ‘winner takes all’ affair the week after.
By Gary Heatly
