RUGBY MATTERS
A weekly look at the game’s other talking points
BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Portugal might have become the surprise package of RWC2023 for some, but wise and loyal readers of this column knew exactly what to expect.
I’ve been chronicling Portugal’s rise for three or four years now and you were all well briefed to look out for the skills and sheer rugby joie de vivre of Raffaele Storti, Samuel Marques, Nuno Sousa Guedes, Mike Tadjer and Jose Madeira. What I hadn’t counted on was the world class athleticism of flanker Nicolas Martins and the all-round excellence of captain and centre To...