Scotland’s Gregor Townsend Anticipates “Really Tough Test” from Portugal

Scotland’s head coach, Gregor Townsend, has stated that his players are prepared for “a really tough Test match” when they face Portugal on Saturday. This upcoming fixture follows Portugal’s performance at the 2023 World Cup, where their players celebrated after beating Fiji. Townsend has implemented significant changes to the squad following last weekend’s defeat to South Africa, with Tom Jordan at full-back being the sole survivor from the team that started against the Springboks. Freddy Douglas, aged 19, is in a position to become Scotland’s youngest male Test player in more than 60 years if he is utilized from the bench. This match will be the Portuguese team’s first international away game against a top-tier nation, with approximately 60,000 fans anticipated at Murrayfield. Townsend remarked, “I thought they were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the World Cup.” He further elaborated on their World Cup performance, stating, “They moved the ball wide, they were accurate, they were cohesive and they got some good results – beat Fiji, drew with Georgia, pushed Wales really close. So we’re expecting that level of performance from them.” Townsend concluded, “They may not have played teams like Wales, Fiji and Australia since the World Cup, now they have a big opportunity this weekend to play a Six Nations team. So we expect that ambition, that accuracy and a really tough test match.”