Portugal head coach Patrice Lagisquet has named his 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
The squad features a blend of experience and youth, with captain Tomás Appleton and Nuno Sousa Guedes both returning after missing the 2019 World Cup. There are also first call-ups for João Belo, Pedro Lucas, and Samuel Marques.
Belo, Lucas, and Marques are all products of the Portuguese Rugby Federation’s development program. They are three of the most exciting young players in Portuguese rugby and will be looking to make their mark on the World Cup stage.
The squad is as follows:
Forwards:
- David Costa (GD Direito)
- António Machada dos Santos (CF “Os Belenenses”)
- Francisco Fernandes (Beziers)
- João Belo (CDUL)
- Pedro Lucas (CF “Os Belenenses”)
- José Madeira (Grenoble)
- Kevin Batista (Floriac)
- Martim Bello (Cascais)
- João Granate (GD Direito)
- Nuno Sousa Guedes (CDUL)
- Alberto Ribeiro (Grenoble)
- Francisco Ribeiro (Montpellier)
- Rodrigo Marta (Colomiers)
- Vincent Pinto (Colomiers)
Backs:
- João Belo (CDUL)
- Pedro Lucas (CF “Os Belenenses”)
- Samuel Marques (Grenoble)
- Jerónimo Portela (GD Direito)
- Joris Moura (Valence Romans)
- José Lima (CDUL)
- Tomás Appleton (CDUL)
- Pedro Bettencourt (Oyonnax)
- Rodrigo Marta (Colomiers)
- Nuno Sousa Guedes (CDUL)
- Raffaele Storti (CDUL)
- Simão Bento (GD Direito)
Portugal are drawn in Pool C alongside Wales, Australia, Georgia, and Fiji.
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They will begin their campaign against Wales in Nice on September 16, 2023.
Lagisquet said: “We are excited to announce our squad for the Rugby World Cup. It is a talented group of players who have worked hard to earn their selection.
“We have a challenging pool but we are confident in our ability to compete and win. We are looking forward to the tournament and giving it our best.”
Portugal have never qualified for the Rugby World Cup before. They will be looking to make a good impression and hopefully win a few matches.
The squad features a number of experienced players who will be key to Portugal’s chances, including Appleton, Sousa Guedes, and Ribeiro. There are also a number of exciting young players in the squad, such as Belo, Lucas, and Marques.
Portugal will be hoping to make history for their country by winning a match at the Rugby World Cup. They have a tough pool to navigate, but they have the talent and experience to do so.
See more: Meet the Players Who Will Be Competing for Rugby World Cup Glory in France
