Spain win first ever Iberian derby

The two Iberian neighbours met the first time in a test match today.

The difference in experience, history and funding is huge, however, with Spain having decades of experience compared to Portugal who have only been playing seriously for a couple of years.

This showed in the early stages, that took place almost entirely inside the Portuguese 22. Spain's first try came after 6m from a maul that Portugal had not real answer to.

But after that the game was much more even, with stout defence from the visitors kept Spain out until the 20th minute when Spain finally found a way through the Portuguese line, Claudia Pena scoring under the posts for a 12-0 lead.

Then, just before the break, María del Castillo Orozco seized on Portuguese handling error to break the line and score a third try. 19-0 at half time.

The first 10 minutes of the second half was the best period for Portugal, but they could not find any way through the Spanish defence. Spain returned to the attack, but some heroic Portuguese defence kept the out until the hour when Lucia Diaz Martin scored Spain's fourth try. 24-0.

And that was the last score of the game. Both sides defended solidly for the final quarter, Portugal's line out letting them down at times was balanced by a powerful scrum that turned over the much more experienced Spanish pack at least once.

The final result was a deserved bonus point win for Spain, but an impressive Portugal team will get better - this could yet become and annual classic.

SPAIN; 1 María DEL CASTILLO OROZCO; 2 Cristina BLANCO HERRERA; 3 Laura DELGADO DUEÑAS; 4 Anna PUIG DELGADO; 5 Nadina CISA RIBAS; 6 Lia PIÑEIRO GOMEZ; 7 Alba CAPELL SANDIN; 8 Vico GORROCHATEGUI JUSTE; 9 Lucia DIAZ MARTIN; 10 Amalia ARGUDO LLOBREGAT; 11 Claudia CANO RESINO; 12 Zahia PEREZ WILHELM; 13 Alba VINUESA GARCIA; 14 Clara PIQUERO FERNANDEZ; 15 Claudia PENA HIDALGO;

16 María MIGUEL GIL; 17 Inés ANTOLINEZ FERNANDEZ; 18 Mireia DE ANDRES GARRIDO; 19 Beatriz RIVERA ZAPATERO; 20 Judith HERNANDEZ MODINO; 21 Julia CASTRO CAMINO; 22 Blanca RUIZ CABRERO; 23 Martina MARQUEZ ALPAÑEL

PORTUGAL; 1 Carlota TORRES; 2 Maria TEIXEIRA; 3 Beatriz RODRIGUES; 4 Maria MORANT; 5 Ana FERNANDES; 6 Sara MOREIRA; 7 Arlete GONCALVES; 8 Adelina COSTA; 9 Leonor AMARAL; 10 Isabel OZORIO; 11 Antonia MARTINS; 12 Maria COSTA; 13 Mariana SANTOS; 14 Ines SPINOLA; 15 Daniela CORREIA

16 Elsa SANTOS; 17 Joana BATISTA; 18 Neuza REIS; 19 Ana CASAS; 20 Margarida CUNHA; 21 Ana SANTOS; 22 Ines MARQUES; 23 Catarina Ribeiro; ;