5-45: Spain surpasses Portugal with authority and approaches a new European title
The Spanish women’s XV team This Saturday he surpassed with authority that of Portugal by 5-45 to add a second victory in the European rugby championship and next Saturday (3:00 p.m.) they will play in Amsterdam against the Netherlands, which has also accumulated two victories, which would be its thirteenth continental title, ninth in a row.
After defeating Belgium In their debut (39-0), the Lionesses defeated Portugal with ease at the Campo de Rugby da Moita in a second day of the European Championship in which the team coached by Frenchman Régis Sonnes included many rotations and only five players repeated in the starting XV compared to the confrontation with the Belgians.
Claudia Penain her thirtieth performance as captain of the national team, led a team in which Anael Fernández debuted with a double that earned her the title of Best Player (MVP) in a match in which the young Carmen Nwatu, 17, also made her debut, reported the Spanish Rugby Federation.
Technical sheet:
5 – Portugal: Carlota Torres, Beatriz Rodrígues, Elsa Santos, Ana Fernandes, Maria Almeida, Maria Teixeira, Sara Moreira, Adelina da Costa, Leonor Amaral, Marta Pedro, Ana Margarida Mata, Inés Barbosa, Mariana Santos, Inés Ota and Raquel dos Santos.
Also playing: Zoe Fernandez, Joana Baptista, Neuza Reis, Catarina Santos, Luana Romao, Barbara Silva, Isabel Ozorio and Matilde Goes.
45 – Spain: Inés Antolínez, Cristina Blanco, Sidorella Bracic, Cristina García, Beatriz Rivera, Alba Sánchez, Ana Peralta, Valentina Pérez, Bingbing Vergara, Naroa Azpitarte, Claudia Pérez, Anael Fernández, Claudia Peña, Ana Cortés and Lea Ducher.
Also playing: Nuria Jou, Gemma Silva, Eider García, Lourdes Alameda, Carmen Nwatu, Matilda Toca, Claudia Cano and Amaia Erbina.
Min 76 Amaia ERBINA rehearsal (23 ESP) 5-38// Min 80 Anael FERNÁNDEZ rehearsal (12 ESP) and transformation Claudia PEÑA (13 ESP) 5-45.
Referee: Katherine RITCHIE (NED)
Incidents. Second match of the European Rugby Championship played at the Campo de Rugby da Moita.
Spain started strong to avoid surprises and after eleven minutes they were already dominating 14-0 thanks to the success of Claudia Peña. Portugal reacted through its wing Ana Margarida Mata (5-14), but the Lionesses responded thanks to debutant Anael Fernández, who debuted her international account with a try just before the half-hour mark.
After passing through the locker room, Spain continued to press and move the bench. Bingbing Vergara put the ball in the middle in the 43rd minute (5-28) and Nuria Jou and Amaia Erbina added two new marks that punished the Portuguese physical wear and tear. The finishing touch came again from Anael Fernández in the 80th minute, closing his dream debut with a second try that, after Peña’s transformation, sealed the final 5-45, the Federation added.
