Portugal returns to the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 2007 against Wales at the Allianz Riviera, Nice on Saturday at 17:45.
Portugal included 19 survivors in the match-day 23, who will make their Rugby World Cup debuts, from the side which secured their place at RWC 2023 with a 16-16 draw against the USA in Dubai last November, with seven players in the starting XV aged 30 or older.
Portugal head coach Patrice Lagisquet said “The players are very excited, maybe too much. The session this afternoon was a bit difficult, everybody was a bit nervous on the pitch. I think because we are close to the game it was a bit difficult for all of them, to keep controlling what they do in the session.
“They have seen how physical the games were on the opening weekend. I am sure they want to compete but it is always difficult in the last sessions when you discover a new environment.”
Head coach Warren Gatland has made 13 changes to his starting XV following their six-point victory over Fiji with only Taulupe Falatau and Louis Rees-Zammit retaining their places in the run-on side. Four players in the starting XV will make their RWC debut, while Dewi Lake returns to the XV as captain.
On facing Portugal Gatland said "They are kind of a similar version of Fiji, they play a lot of rugby, they've got some exciting players, they like to move the ball around, so we've kind of prepared almost in the same way we prepared against Fiji.
"I thought from a neutral [point of view] last week if you were watching the games, it was probably the most exciting game of the weekend.
"It wasn't great being a coach sitting in the box in the last 10 minutes I can promise you that, but hopefully we can produce another great game of rugby."
Teams:
Wales: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Christ Tshiunza, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 11 Rio Dyer, 12 Johnny Williams, 13 Mason Grady, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 15 Leigh Halfpenny. Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Josh Adams.
Portugal: 1 Francisco Fernandes, 2 Mike Tadjer, 3 Anthony Alves, 4 José Madeira, 5 Steevy Cerqueira, 6 João Granate, 7 Nicolas Martins, 8 Rafael Simões, 9 Samuel Marques, 10 Jerónimo Portela, 11 Rodrigo Marta, 12 Tomás Appleton (c), 13 José Lima, 14 Vincent Pinto, 15 Nuno Sousa Guedes. Replacements: 16 David Costa, 17 Lionel Campergue, 18 Diogo Hasse Ferreira, 19 Martim Belo, 20 David Wallis, 21 Pedro Lucas, 22 Joris Moura, 23 Raffaele Storti.