First Championship win for Portugal

Portugal have recorded their biggest win so far with bonus-point win against Sweden in a very wet Lisbon.

The opening exchanges were as even as the previous meeting between the two teams at the end of 2022, which Sweden had shaved 7-5, but after 20m Portugal found some extra power from a 5m scrum and all-but drove Sweden over the line before Maria Morant dived over to score. With Daniela Correia on target with the boot Portugal lead 7-0.

Play continued to be mainly in the Swedish half, and the home team were finally rewarded with a second try in the 36th minute from Mariana Marques. As the rain turned into a torrential thunderstorm the kick was unsurprisingly missed, yet four minutes later the sun emerged. Right at the end of the half, in now very slippery conditions, Portugal's Sara Moreira was yellow carded after a series of infringements by the home team, who nonetheless went in 12-0 ahead.

Sweden were unable to take advantage of the extra woman at the start of the second half -indeed Portugal added a penalty soon after the restart - and and soon as they were back to 15 Portugal added a third try, Maria Teixeira scoring in the corner. Given the conditions, Correia's touchline conversion was especially impressive, bouncing off the crossbar. 22-0.

Despite the condition Portugal continued to play running rugby and the try of the game came in the 55th minute, Mariana Santos ending a wonderful flowing backrow move.

PORTUGAL; 1 Elsa SANTOS; 2 Ines CRISTO VENTURA MARQUES; 3 Beatriz RODRIGUES; 4 Maria MORANT; 5 Ana FERNANDES; 6 Sara MOREIRA; 7 Arlete GONCALVES; 8 Adelina COSTA; 9 Beatriz OLIVEIRA; 10 Marta PEDRO; 11 Mariana SANTOS; 12 Maria COSTA; 13 Mariana MARQUES; 14 Ines SPINOLA; 15 Daniela CORREIA; 16 Carlota TORRES; 17 Maria TEIXEIRA; 18 Zoe FERNANDES; 19 Ana CASAS; 20 Ines BARBOSA; 21 Leonor AMARAL; 22 Ines MARQUES; 23 Cloe DA COSTA

SWEDEN; 1 Jennifer SUNDQVIST; 2 Hannah PERSSON; 3 Pauline SARG; 4 Linnea FLYMAN; 5 Cornelia NOREN; 6 Emma YTTERBOM; 7 Elizabeth SONNENHOLZNER; 8 Maja MEULLER; 9 Olivia PALMGREN; 10 Linda HAKANSSON; 11 Sofya SMOLINA; 12 Sara JACOBSSON; 13 Hanna BORGEMYR; 14 Isabell WIJKSTRÖM; 15 Cecilia WIJKSTRÖM; 16 Ellen LIDSTROM; 17 Linn OLFORSER; 18 Marielle ANDERSSON; 19 Frida LARSSON; 20 My HALLBERG; 21 Carina TRINH; 22 Alice PETTERSSON