Ireland delivered a historic performance in their first capped international against Portugal, securing a record-breaking 106-7 victory at the Estadio Nacional do Jamor. The world’s third-ranked team surpassed their previous highest margin of victory, an 83-3 win over the USA in 2000, with a stunning display that included 16 tries.

Interim head coach Paul O’Connell, leading the team in the absence of British and Irish Lions players and head coach Andy Farrell, handed debuts to Alex Kendellen, Hugh Gavin, and Shayne Bolton. The trio made an immediate impact, with Gavin and Bolton each scoring twice in the first half. Kendellen also marked his Test debut with a try as Ireland added eight more tries after the break.

Portugal’s lone score came from flanker Nicholas Martins in the second half, though they had an earlier try disallowed by the television match official (TMO). Technical issues later prevented any replay reviews for the final hour of the match.

Ireland’s dominance was evident from the opening minute, with Stuart McCloskey scoring the first try. Tommy O’Brien, who impressed in last week’s win over Georgia, added two more tries in the first half, alongside contributions from Tom Clarkson and others. Despite Portugal’s resilience, injuries to key players, including captain Tomas Appleton, further hampered their efforts.

The second half saw Ireland maintain their relentless pace. Captain Craig Casey scored shortly after the restart, followed by tries from Cian Prendergast, Calvin Nash, Ciaran Frawley, and others. Kendellen’s try pushed Ireland past their previous record margin, and a penalty try in the final moments sealed the historic win.

Portugal, who impressed at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, struggled to compete against Ireland’s superior firepower. The match highlighted the disparity between the two sides, with Ireland finishing their summer tour on a high note ahead of their next challenge against New Zealand in November.

Teams:
Portugal: Guedes; Bento, V. Pinto, Appleton (capt), M. Pinto; Aubry, Camacho; D. Costa, Begic, D. Ferreira, De Andrade, P. Ferreira, De Carvalho, Martins, Ruiz
Replacements: D'Cunha, Lopes, Souto, G. Costa, Almeida, Baptista, Campos, Avriagnet.

Ireland: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Gavin, McCloskey, Bolton; Crowley, Casey (capt); Boyle, McCarthy, Clarkson, T Ahern, Murray, Baird, Kendellen, Prendergast
Replacements: Stewart, Milne, O'Toole, Izuchukwu, Deegan, Murphy, Frawley, Nash.

Tags:

#Test match #Ireland Rugby #Portugal Rugby #Record Victory #Summer Tour