(Reuters) – Portugal have named former France junior international Joris Moura at flyhalf and experienced captain Tomas Appleton at inside centre for their first ever test against world champions South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Moura comes into the side for Domingos Cabral, who drops to the bench having started last weekend’s 37-22 victory over Namibia in Windhoek.
Jose Lima keeps his place in midfield alongside Appleton, while Rodrigo Marta is again on the wing in a back three that also includes Manuel Cardoso Pinto and fullback Simao Bento.
Coach Simon Mannix, a former New Zealand international flyhalf who led Portugal for the first time against Namibia, has kept the same front row with props Francisco Fernandes and Diogo Hasse Ferreira either side of hooker Luka Begic.
Duarte Torgal has a new partner at lock in uncapped Nicolas Fernandes, a baptism of fire for the 24-year-old, while there is an all new loose-forward trio as flankers Jose Madeira and Diego Pinheiro pack down with number eight Vasco Batista.
“It’s massive playing against the double world champions,” Appleton told Rugby365. “It’s so big for us as a developing union. For some of us players, we are playing against guys that we are used to seeing on the television.
“They are the guys that influence our game style and the way we want to play. You don’t want to put them on a pedestal, as we are conscious that we want to show the world that we are taking this very seriously.
“We want to shock the world every time we step onto the pitch.”
Eleven of Portugal’s matchday 23 were part of their impressive 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign in which they defeated Fiji and drew with Georgia, providing much entertainment with their enterprising running rugby.
The Springboks will be a step up in quality, even if they have rested many of their regulars, making 14 changes from the team that narrowly lost 25-24 to Ireland in Durban last weekend.
Team: 15-Simao Bento, 14-Manuel Cardoso Pinto, 13-Jose Lima, 12-Tomas Appleton (captain), 11-Rodrigo Marta, 10-Joris Moura, 9-Hugo Camacho, 8-Vasco Batista, 7-Diego Pinheiro, 6-Jose Madeira, 5-Duarte Torgal, 4-Nicolas Fernandes, 3-Diogo Hasse Ferreira, 2-Luka Begic, 1-Francisco Fernandes
Replacements: 16-David Costa, 17-Pedro Vicente, 18-Abel Cunha, 19-Antonio Andrade, 20-Andre Cunha, 21-Pedro Lucas, 22-Domingos Cabral, 23-Jose Santos
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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