First, welcome on these forums! Great to have a test player here! Maybe you can post from time to time news from Portuguese rugby! Since you're a former international, by any chance did you worked with a Romanian coach nicknamed Mao back in 90s?
I was impressed by few things of Portugal team. They seemed to use the anthem like some sort of haka, to stimulate uphold them. Then the team work was best from competition, they were like mechanism and I liked the way they dealt with Spanish dominance in some key moments of the match, reminded me of Kiwis. Last but not the least, it is a very technical team, have very good tackling technique and they knew the basics of rugby very well which allowed them to have a simple but very effective game plan and get out of difficult situation with cold blood.
I also agree about your opinion on match between Romanian and Portugal. The difference was made by the respective try which was first a problem of not tackling and secondly a problem regarding the players' position in defense after own kick ... they lost the positioning pattern...a thing I noticed in few other phases. That was, simplifying, the main difference: Portugal was more of a team than ours and managed to defeat a squad that didn't have good team work although have some better individual players. I liked Portuguese no.1 very much, awesome player.
It is frustrating really, especially with such a good generation and after previous failures to see that you keep doing the same mistake because of staff. I don't buy the excuse that the players were over motivated or after losing to Portugal they morale crumbled, this is staff's business. I also don't buy the excuse that they have gaps in preparation from clubs, at this age is also the NT staff responsability to make them special training programs ..these guys didn't come out of nowhere, they were also in U18 sides.
I am also looking forward to those matches. Although it may benefit to Romania to have Belgium next year too because of BP win abroad, I kind of want Portugal back, they're a much interesting side than Belgium. Sure, the team is rebuilding but still. Kenya vs Germany is very very interesting and I think will be a very difficult one for the Europeans.
About Steaua - Dinamo I don't know much except the visitors were complacent first half and weren't able to do anything. I do agree that Steaua looks soft in tight five. I think Perju (b. 1994) had a very good game with a try and contributing at the counterattack from which resulted last Steaua's try, he seems to be a quality center.
CSM - Iasi was a very good match with lots of tries and a bold reply from the visitors. Despite having financial issues and being few tries behind at the break, Iasi young team put up a good performance in second half scoring 3 unanswered tries. CSM kept the composure and were able to win but what a match!
Thank you, i am not that old, in the 90's i was starting to play rugby!I might create a Portuguese rugby thread...
