Juan Severino Somoza (L) is suspended and will not play against the All Blacks. Photo / Reuters
LYON - Portugal have lost aggressive loose forward Juan Severino Somoza to suspension for head butting and made sweeping changes to their team to face the All Blacks in Saturday's rugby World Cup pool match here.
Nine players from the starting lineup who lost 10-56 to Scotland last
Sunday have lost their places including Somoza, who was today banned until October 7 for striking lock Nathan Hines with his head during that game at St Etienne.
Although the ability of most of the Portuguese players is unknown, coach Tomaz Morais, appears to have strengthened his team overall by introducing more experience.
He will start with halfback Luis Pissarra and lock Marcello d'Orey, who have both played more than 50 tests. Veteran halfback Pissarra weighs just 73kg while d'Orey is at the other end of the scale at 127kg.
Porto first five-eighth Goncalo Malheiro returns to the fray from injury. He is Portugal's highest test pointscorer with 228.
However, Los Lobos will start without their most capped player, 82-test prop Joaquim Ferreira, who is pushed to the bench by French-born loosehead Andre Silva.
The six players who will start their second game include captain and No 8 Vasco Uva and his brother Goncalo Uva, the 2m lock who is one of just three professionals in the team. He plays for French Top 14 club Montpellier.
Their cousin, flanker Joao Uva, is one of five forwards on the reserve bench.
Prop Ruben Spachuck backs up from the Scotland test, as does fullback Pedro Leal, centre Diogo Mateus and winger Pedro Carvalho, the scorer of their only try against Scotland.
This will be Portugal's 10th test of 2007, bringing in a five win-four loss record. They have beaten Morocco twice, Spain, Uruguay and the Czech Republic.
Team:
Pedro Leal, Antonio Aguilar, Miguel Portela, Diogo Mateus, Pedro Carvalho, Goncalo Malheiro, Luis Pissarra, Vasco Uva (captain), Diogo Coutinho, Paulo Murinello, Goncalo Uva, Marcello d'Orey, Ruben Spachuck, Joao Correia, Andre Silva. Reserves: Rui Cordeiro, Joaquim Ferreira, David Penalva, Tiago Girao, Joao Uva, Jose Pinto, Duarte Cardoso Pinto
- NZPA
