Scotland overcame a gallant Portuguese side packed with amateurs with a 56-10 win in their World Cup Pool C game on Sunday.
After a dismal Six Nations where they ended with the wooden spoon, the Scots were in need of a confidence-building win.
They scored eight tries, including a two at the start by fullback Rory Lamont, all converted by Dan Parks (five) and Chris Paterson (three), but their performance was a little tarnished by some sloppy handling.
The Portuguese ”Lobos” (Wolves) celebrated their first appearance in the World Cup when they scored a try on the half-hour by wing Pedro Carvalho. Scrumhalf Jose Pinto added the conversion and a penalty.
The Scots, quarter-finalist in every World Cup since 1987, were too powerful, too fast and too experienced.
In a pool bound to be dominated by New Zealand, they will play another easy game against Romania next Tuesday before facing the All Blacks on September 23.
Their decisive game for second place and qualification for the quarterfinals is against Italy, crushed by the All Blacks 76-14, on Saturday.
The battle of the outsiders will be settled in the game between Portugal and the more experienced Romania on September 25.
Entrenched in their own half from the kick-off, The ”Lobos” resisted Scotland’s close game for 10 minutes until Dan Parks, preferred to Chris Paterson at flyhalf, spread the ball wide and Lamont crossed at full pace.
The fullback, who was playing for the first time alongside his elder brother Sean in a World Cup game, dived over for the second time four minutes later.
Two more tries were to come before the break through hooker Scott Lawson and centre Rob Dewey but Portugal never wilted.
The Portuguese had said before the game they were ready to celebrate their first World Cup appearance by taking risks whenever they could.
True to their word they ran all the ball they could grab but their flanker Joao Uva was handed a yellow card for one ruck infringement too many just before the break.
Scotland scored another four tries in the second half through Parks, Hugo Southwell, Kelly Brown and Ross Ford but the outsiders kept plugging away and fully deserved the applause they received from the crowd. – Reuters