Portugal’s rugby sevens team ended their World Series qualifying playoff campaign on a low note, losing 21-12 to Samoa in Los Angeles.
The loss capped off a tough tournament for the Portuguese, who were already out of contention after dropping their first two matches to the United States (26-15) and Kenya (26-14).
Tough Day for Portugal
Playing with pride on the second day, Portugal managed two tries, courtesy of Vasco Silva and José Santos, with Manuel Vareiro converting one of them.
Despite their efforts, they couldn’t match Samoa’s more clinical performance, which saw three tries and successful conversions.
Portugal’s journey to the playoff was sparked by their victory in this year’s Challenger Series, which wrapped up in April.
While they couldn’t quite make it back to the top-tier World Series, they were hoping to secure a spot in the newly announced secondary tier.
Road to Recovery
The Portuguese team had previously been a regular on the World Series circuit from 2012 to 2016 and were eager to return to the top level.
The team’s performance in Los Angeles, while disappointing, provides valuable experience as they look to bounce back stronger in future competitions.
Some key takeaways from their campaign include:
- Portugal’s inability to beat top-tier teams, losing to the US, Kenya, and Samoa.
- The team’s struggles with converting tries, managing only one successful conversion against Samoa.
- The experience gained from competing against stronger opponents will be invaluable for future tournaments.