Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and final score as Wallabies keep faint hopes alive
Australia 34-14 Portugal: The Wallabies got the bonus-point win they needed but their World Cup hopes now rest on Fiji’s final match next week
Australia’s slender hopes of making it to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals survived another round of matches as they huffed and puffed to a 34-14 bonus-point victory against Portugal.
Eddie Jones’s Wallabies, who have now played all their games, will be eliminated in the group phase for the first time if Fiji take a point against Portugal next week in the Pool C finale.
Portugal led 7-3 after Pedro Bettencourt’s early converted try but the centre was then sin-binned for a high tackle and Australia made the most of it by scoring three tries through Richard Arnold, David Porecki and Angus Bell.
Fraser McReight touched down to secure the bonus point shortly after the break, while Marika Koroibete got a fifth with only a few minutes left.
Ben Donaldson added points from the tee as twice world champions Australia, who conceded a late converted try by Rafael Simoes after picking up two yellow cards, climbed to second on 11 points, three behind already-qualified Wales and only one ahead of Fiji.
Follow all the latest from the Pool C match below. Get all the Rugby World Cup odds here, plus the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Australia have started this game at an intense pace, with a slim slim hope of qualifying still remaining they will want to do everything they can to reach the knockout stages.
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Portugal kick the game off
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Before kick-off there will be time for both national anthems, with the Portugal team singing their heart out.
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
The players are coming out of the tunnel onto the pitch.
Beforehand there were boos ringing around the stadium in Saint Etienne when a photo of Eddie Jones appeared on the big screen
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Australia assistant coach Pierre-Henry Broncan believes the Wallabies’ inability to handle pressure is the cause of their likely early exit from the Rugby World Cup.
Australia will be knocked out of the tournament on Sunday if Fiji beat Georgia with a bonus point after following a defeat to the Pacific Islanders with a poor performance against Wales.
A pool stage exit would represent a major disappointment for a side it was thought might be reinvigorated under Eddie Jones, who returned for a second stint in charge after his sacking by England.
But having cast aside several senior players from his squad for the tournament, and suffered some rough injury luck once in France, Jones appears set to oversee a first ever Australian pool exit from a men’s World Cup.
Australia coach says Wallabies can’t handle pressure as Rugby World Cup exit looms
The Wallabies are set to exit the tournament in the pool stages for the first time
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli will make history as one of the officials at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The 28-year-old makes his tournament debut and is the first referee from Georgia to officiate at the event.
He is the youngest whistler since Wayne Barnes in 2007 to be appointed to a men’s World Cup panel.
Amashukeli represented Georgia at junior level as a centre, but was forced to retire at the age of 20 after a series of concussions and other injuries.
He was recruited as a referee as part of a new programme to improve officiating standards in the country, developed in partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union.
Australia vs Portugal referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Nika Amashukeli?
The Georgian is one of the officials at the tournament
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
The Rugby World Cup is hotting up as teams seek to secure their places in the quarter-finals.
The top two nations from each of the four pools will progress to the last eight, with the quarter-finals to be played on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October in Marseille and Paris.
In the event of a two-way tie, the nation that won the encounter between the two teams will progress; in the event of a three-way tie, the nation that finishes with the best points difference will finish on top, followed by the team that won the fixture between the two remaining teams.
Teams receive four points for a win, with a bonus point available for scoring four tries or more. A losing bonus point is received if you finish within seven points of your opponents; a draw is worth two points.
The third spot in each pool is crucial, too – while this will not allow teams further involvement at this year’s World Cup, it will secure automatic qualification for the next tournament in Australia in 2027.
Rugby World Cup permutations: Which teams can qualify for quarter-finals?
The tournament will conclude with the final at the Stade de France on Saturday 28 October
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Line-ups
Australia XV: Angus Bell, Dave Porecki (captain), James Slipper; Nick Frost, Richie Arnold; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini; Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson; Marika Koroibete, Lalakai Foketi, Izaia Perese, Mark Nawaqanitawase; Andrew Kellaway.
Replacements: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Pone Fa’amausili, Rob Leota, Josh Kemeny; Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Carter Gordon, Suliasi Vunivalu.
Portugal XV: David Costa, Mike Tadjer, Diogo Hasse Ferreira; Jose Madeira, Martim Belo; David Wallis, Nicolas Martins, Thibault de Freitas; Samuel Marques, Jeronimo Portela; Rodrigo Marta, Tomas Appleton (captain), Pedro Bettencourt, Raffaele Storti; Nuno Sousa Guedes.
Replacements: Francisco Fernandes, Duarte Diniz, Francisco Bruno, Steevy Cerqueira, Rafael Simoes; Joao Belo, Joris Moura, Manuel Cardoso Pinto.
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Portugal team news
Patrice Lagisquet makes four changes to his Portugal side, all up front. David Costa earns a first start of the tournament at loosehead, while Martim Belo is back amongst things in the second row. David Wallis and Thibault de Freitas similarly come in to the back row trio.
The backline remains intact after a fine performance against Georgia, with double try-scorer Raffaele Storti again on the wing. 13 of this starting line-up featured in an eye-catching performance against Australia A in a warm-up fixture in August.
Australia vs Portugal LIVE: Rugby World Cup latest
Australia team news
Australia remain without regular captain Will Skelton and tighthead prop Taniela Tupou. Tupou’s absence leaves James Slipper to make history away from his regular home on the loosehead; the prop becomes the most-capped Wallaby in tournament history as he makes his 21st World Cup appearance.
There’s a new centre pairing in the form of Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese, with Samu Kerevi dropped, but Ben Donaldson continues at fly half in a familiar midfield trio that spent last season with the Waratahs.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments