Portugal and Georgia draw after dramatic finish

Georgia and Portugal served up a Rugby World Cup 2023 thriller as their Pool ‘C’ match finished 18-18 at the Stadium de Toulouse in France on Saturday.

Two Raffaele Storti tries had looked like they would secure Portugal’s first-ever Rugby World Cup win, but a try by Georgia’s Tengizi Zamtaradze two minutes from full-time pulled the teams level.

Luka Matkava missed the conversion and Portugal spurned a last-gasp penalty kick at goal that would have snatched the win. The teams had exchanged first-half tries through Georgia wing Akaki Tabutsadze and his Portugal counterpart Storti who went over the line after a blistering run.

Portugal prop Francisco Fernandes was shown a yellow card just before the break and Georgia held a 13-5 half time lead. Two penalties by Portuguese scrum half Samuel Marques and another Storti try in the second 40 minutes seemed to have sealed a historic victory before Zamtaradze touched down and Os Lobos full back Nuno Sousa Guedes tugged his kick wide.

The draw gave Portugal their first points at a Rugby World Cup – having lost all four pool games in 2007 and having suffered a 28-8 loss to Wales in their opening match of the 2023 tournament.

Georgia next face Fiji in Bordeaux on September 30 while Portugal are next in action against Australia on October 1 in Saint-Etienne.

(C.D)

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