PORTUGAL’S PREPARATIONS for September’s Rugby World Cup in France began in earnest with the national team’s arrival at Brown’s Sport and Leisure Club in Vilamoura for a one-week training camp.
Ahead of Saturday’s first test against English national division one side London Welsh, coach Tomas Morais received some welcome technical assistance in the shape of experienced Australian set-play expert Adam Leach.
The former Wallaby joins Bristol kicking specialist John Barnes on the national team’s coaching staff until October.
Against the Exiles, Portugal kept the score level at 9-9 at half-time and even managed to go 16-14 ahead with ten minutes to go. But despite the fact that the visitors found themselves a man down during the closing phase, a 16-19 home defeat could not be avoided.
A further training game, hopefully rounded off by a morale-boosting success, will follow against Coventry tomorrow (Saturday) at the same venue.
A barbeque with live music from the New Orleans Jazz Band followed the game.
Alan Brown, owner of Browns Sports and Leisure Club, said: “I feel the game and barbeque have been a success; it is wonderful to have such high quality rugby here in the Algarve.”
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