On a very cold day in Romania, with snow still on the ground and temperatures at minus 2. The rugby was set up to be a fiery encounter, with the home tie target for the Semis in 2 weeks time.
Tries
Storti (14'), Begic (30'), Martins (42'), Vareiro (63'), Baptista (78')
Conversions
Marques (31', 43'), Vareiro (79')
Conache (20', 52')
Penalties
Marques (59')
On a very cold day in Romania, with snow still on the ground and temperatures at minus 2. The rugby was set up to be a fiery encounter, with the home tie target for the Semis in 2 weeks time.
Portugal have come flying out the gates during the tournament so far but open to switching off at times. However, the Romanians havent looked at the races at all but as declared by David Gerard they are a team under construction.
With what is forming a bit of a rivalry at this level, the first 14 minutes of territorial battles and range finders. With neither team managing to find their way through the defensive lines.
Portugal finally broke through out wide by Raffaele Storti. Sustained quick play by Portugal was too much for Romania. Conversion was not made, so only put Portugal 5-0 ahead.
Another period of kick tennis and a few errors to through in the mix. Romania were rewarded with a Penalty kick on the Romanian 22 directly infront of the sticks. Alin Conache took full advantage to bring the score to 3-5 to Portugal.
The chess match continued with Portugal looking very threatening when they got the ball into space but the Romanian defence stood solid. Marques missed a penalty for Portugal in the 26th minute.
But in the 29th minute, Portugal found their way to within 5 metres off a clinical line out maul, the maul was collapsed by Alexandru Savin, who found a yellow card raised in his direction.
Luka Begic hit the perfect ball off the lineout while carrying a injury, managed to guide the dominant maul over the line to get his name on the score sheet. Marques managed to find his kicking boots to add the extras.
The final 10 minutes of the first half continued in the same vein with the territory battle but the ill discipline from Romania continued with being pinged for back chat on a number of occasions in the first half. Romania also missed a penalty kick to reduce the deficit on the halftime whistle.
The first half was definitely one for the rugby purist, with the scoreline 3-12.
The Second Half didnt take as long to get going. Just 2 minutes gone, Bento received the ball deep in the Portuguese half and just ran into clear field. Couple offloads later found Nicolas Martins galloping over. Marques done the duty again to add the extras. 3 - 19 to Portugal now.
The next 10 minutes again saw the chess match continue and the benches start to be emptied on both sides.
Alin Conache was gifted a mirror image penalty kick from the first half to bring the score to 6 - 19.
Further bench emptying took place, until Samuel Marques was back at the kicking tee with a penalty kick to take the score to 6 - 22 in the 59th minute.
A minute later, Iulian Hartig was the second Romanian Loosehead to spend 10 minutes in the bin for cear cut yellow. Poorly timed high tackle from the restart, put the Romanians on the back foot again.
A few more subs took to the field, which rewarded the Portuguese in the 63rd minute. A lineout inside the Romanian 22 was put to use with another dominant maul, which stop just short of the line. Ball was passed out to Manuel Vareiro, who had only just come on. He duly obliged with dotting down towards the corner. Samuel Marques couldnt add the conversion, but Portugal found themselves 6 -27 to the good with 15 minutes to play.
The final 14 minutes reverted back into the chess match mode that we had seen in multiple phases of the game so far.
Marius Simionescu found himself sent to the bin for a deliberate knock on in the attack that lead to Vasco Baptista managing to extend the scoreling in the 79th minute and Marques adding the extras took Portugal to 6 - 34 and their largest points difference victory over Romania.
Portugal host Spain in what will be a highly contested Iberian derby. 2 attacking teams that love to score tries, sets up what could be an amazing game to see.
Romania will have a lot of work to do over the next 2 weeks, as they visit a devastating Georgian team that could easily run in a huge scoreline against this Romanian side.
Ludovic Cayre had his work cut out at times with the whistle today, but credit when it is due. A great shift from the man in the middle for this game too.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Portugal | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 |  Romania | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 09 |
| 3 |  Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -7 | 0 | 04 |
| 4 |  Germany | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -100 | 0 | 00 |
