Portugal and Georgia serve up thriller
Georgia and Portugal served up a Rugby World Cup 2023 thriller as their Pool C match finished 18-18 at Stadium de Toulouse in Pool C on Saturday.
Two Raffaele Storti tries had looked like they would secure Portugal's first-ever Rugby World Cup win, but a try by Georgia's Tengizi Zamtaradze two minutes from full-time pulled the teams level. Luka Matkava missed the conversion and Portugal spurned a last-gasp penalty kick at goal that would have snatched the win.
The teams had exchanged first-half tries through Georgia wing Akaki Tabutsadze and his Portugal counterpart Storti who went over the line after a blistering run. Portugal prop Francisco Fernandes was shown a yellow card just before the break and Georgia held a 13-5 half-time lead.
Two penalties by Portuguese scrum-half Samuel Marques and another Storti try in the second 40 seemed to have sealed a historic victory before Zamtaradze touched down and Os Lobos full-back Nuno Sousa Guedes tugged his kick wide.