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Yellow card! Australia (Faessler, 60)
And because the maul was brought down illegally, Australia’s replacement hooker is sin-binned. What a moment for Portugal.
TRY! Australia 29-12 Portugal (Tadjer, 60)
He’s over! The maul gets going and, after being momentarily held up, it rumbles over.
Updated at 19.12 CEST
59 mins: Australia go swimming in the maul and also drag it down. They now get a final warning and Portugal kick their latest penalty into touch.
58 mins: Australia’s scrum is dominated and the ball squirts out on Portugal’s side. Marques plays a netball style pass to keep the play moving. It goes down the line but is lateral. No one straightens the attack so it gets nowhere. There’s a late hit on Marques so Portugal get the penalty. Or was it a no-arm hit? Either way, Portugal nudge the ball into the corner. Oh wow, replays don’t look. No idea why Foketi hasn’t been carded for that. It was high and looked dangerous. Anyway, Portugal with the line-out within striking distance.
56 mins: A break in play gives both teams a chance to make some changes. Kerevi, who wasn’t supposed to play until Gordan’s injury, enters the scene for Perese.
56 mins: McReight with another steal. Back in the starting XV, he’s having a great game. Kellaway and Guedes then get involved in some kick tennis. It all ends with an Aussie line-out 10 metres in Portugal’s half. But Portugal steal the line-out and can hoof it down field. More kick tennis now. Three kicks from either side. Kellaway and then Koroibete keep the ball in play. Portugal have it around halfway with Appleton but he spills in contact.
54 mins: Ah. Portugal lose their line-out. It’s marginally too high for the jumper and McReight can come through and win it. Donaldson clears with another gigantic kick towards the halfway line.
53 mins: Portugal again are clean at the line-out and they work a nice move off the top. They charge towards the line with a big carry but can’t quite burst through. They come back against the grain with Appleton running from a standing start. Australia’s defence holds but they do concede a penalty. With the advantage Portugal look to find Storti alone on the left but he’s bundled into touch. Still, they have the penalty so go to the corner again.
51 mins: Portugal get a soft penalty around the half-way line as Fa’amaulisi pushes a Portuguese defender off the ball. Now Portugal can hoof a kick into the corner. Line-out time.
TRY! Australia 29-7 Portugal (McReight, 48)
Australia get the bonus point. It started with a scrum that gained go-forward ball. Down the line and Valetini crashed over the gainline. An overlap formed on the right. Nawaqanitawase got it and then popped a pass from the ground for McReight who had a clear path to the right corner. Donaldson thwacks the post as he can’t bring his conversion round enough.
Updated at 18.59 CEST
46 mins: Donaldson does brilliantly to field a high kick on the leap. Koroibete tips on a pass for Arnold in support. Australia get through the phases around the fringe. Madeira is off side and then Marques slows the play down after the whistle so the penalty is advanced 10 metres up field. Donaldson kicks to touch as Slipper is subbed for Fa’amausili.
44 mins: What a run from Stroti. He beat four tacklers as he cut back infield from his right wing. It was scrappy off the scrum but Portugal managed to get it down the line and through the hands to Storti. But the attack soon becomes lateral and stodgy and Australia is able to force the ball carrier out of touch.
42 mins: Portugal steal a line-out and almost find a 50-22. Koroibete does well to keep it in play. He kicks and then delivers a monster tackle on Guedes as he chases. Wow, that was a mighty collision. Nawaqanitawase has a little room to show off his twinkle toes but Australia spill it near touch on the right.
The teams are back out. All set for the second half. A change for each. Frost and De Freitas are off. Leota and Simoes are on.
Updated at 18.50 CEST
“Thanks for the live blog,” says Sue Broderick. “In Cinque Terre Italy and RAI not televising Aus vs Portugal match. No bars showing it. Can’t access streaming as overseas.” At half time it’s looking good for us. Was at the Wales match in Lyon. Pretty demoralizing and not a good match as Wales didn’t really play that well. Keep up the good work and thanks to The Guardian.
Thank you, Sue. Glad you’re enjoying it and happy to be your eyes and ears on this one. I’d argue that Wales played very, very well, but no doubt their job was made easier by an inept Aussie outfit. It’s hard to disagree with this. And, if I’m honest, Bettencourt should have seen red. I’m glad he didn’t as it makes a game of this. But if Curry was sent off then I’m not sure how the Portuguese center is still on the pitch. @danielgallan Curry’s red card becomes more and more incomprehensible as each game goes by and worse challenges are kept at a yellow. I thought Curry’s card should have been a red btw— AndyinBrum gratefully not PayPalPatine (@AndyinBrum) October 1, 2023 Half-time: Australia 24-7 Portugal Donaldson goes to the corner and rather than maul they go off the top of the line-out. Koroibete knocks on in contact as he comes off his wing. That’ll be the final act of a half dominated by a 10-minute, three-try blitz from the Aussies. But Portugal landed some blows of their own. I enjoyed that. Back in a bit.
39 mins: Australia win their line-out in their own 22 and McDermott finds touch with a box. Portugal make a mess of their line-out so Australia has it back. Valetini and Kellaway charge with strong carries. Valetini again. Donaldson for Bell who bursts through a few tacklers. Frost carries into contact. Donaldson is cut in half by a good shot. Australia win a penalty at the breakdown after a tackler doesn’t roll away.
37 mins: Portela’s work deserved a try. He stepped an Aussie, cut back infield and then fed Martins rushing through on the support line down the left tram. He only had Kellaway to beat. Rather than run over him he chose to dash for the corner and the Aussie fullback did superbly well to nudge the larger man into touch.
No try! Martins is tackled out just before he grounds the ball. Portugal crosses the line! But is it out of touch? Oh wow this will be one of the best tries of the tournament.
36 mins: Australia pinch the line-out and McDermott sets a high kick. It’s too deep for the Australian chasers so Portugal can attack themselves. A clever dink ahead almost has Appleton in business but Australia cleans up. McDermott hoists another high kick and Portugal counter again.
35 mins: Portugal’s line-out is clean and they set a maul. It rumbles and rumbles and rumbles. Fantastic from the Portuguese pack. Marques then spins it to the blindside. A cut-back for Storti has him running through a gap. Up they go through the hands. Guedes spots a gap and kicks to it but Kellaway fields and marks. His return kick lands around the halfway line.
33 mins: Australia gives away a penalty at the line-out. Obstruction as they lifted a jumper. It’s a penalty you don’t often see called but it’s the right decision. Portugal is let off the hook there.
32 mins: Perese runs 50 meters from first-phase ball off the scrum. A hole in midfield opened up and he burst through. Support arrives and they’re a meter short. The forwards pick and go but can’t get over. They have a penalty advantage so keep hammering the line. They spill it so Donaldson nudges the ball out for a five-meter line-out. What a run from Perese. Give him more of the ball!
30 min: Australia knocks-on after the restart so Portugal has a scrum inside the red zone. They work the phases but are pushed back 10 meters. Through the hands down the right and Wallis has a dart. Australia’s defense is standing firm and force a knock-on. Nine phases…
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