Rugby World Cup entertainers Portugal to face England A during Six Nations 2024

Adam Kyriacou
Raffaele Storti and Jose Lima of Portugal during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Fiji and Portugal

Raffaele Storti and Jose Lima of Portugal during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Fiji and Portugal

Rugby World Cup success story Portugal will get a chance at taking down England A next year, with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirming the fixture.

The standalone meeting will take place on Sunday, February 25, kicking off at 13:00 GMT at the home of Leicester Tigers, Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium.

The reintroduction of the England A side will provide more game time for players transitioning from the pathway at U20 level to the senior team, the RFU believe.

Takes place during Six Nations

“As part of the ongoing discussions regarding the Professional Game Partnership (PGP), the RFU and Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) want to ensure younger players have more time on the pitch in order to continue their playing development,” they wrote in a statement when announcing the Portugal game.

“A coaching team involving personnel from across the Gallagher Premiership and England Rugby will be chosen in consultation alongside PRL, with the selection of the matchday 23 determined by senior men’s head coach, Steve Borthwick.

“Whilst the friendly is set to take place on the weekend of Round Three in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, the encounter against Sébastien Bertrank’s men will also give those in the senior men’s wider squad valuable minutes outside of the tournament to maintain fitness throughout the campaign.”

Portugal were a huge success story at the recent World Cup as their style of play excited fans, with a famous victory over Fiji and draw with Georgia two highlights.

Conor O’Shea, RFU Executive Director of Performance Rugby, commented on the prospect of the Iberian nation as the first clash for England A in over seven years.

“It brings us great excitement to be renewing our A side in 2024, historically it has been a platform for some of the country’s next best players to showcase their talent whilst representing England,” he said.

“Portugal demonstrated their capabilities as a rugby nation on the world stage in recent months with their attacking flair and passion – we can’t wait for more of that in the new year! They are a team possessing many bright stars for the future and are a befitting opponent for our A squad.

“England Rugby wants to be part of providing game time and mutual collaboration for emerging nations such as Portugal, who have a great deal to offer to the game and I’m sure both they and our A side will gain a lot from February’s match. This builds on partnerships we have with other nations and are looking to develop further links with other emerging unions.”

Bertrank, a former Clermont Auvergne player and coach, assumed control of the Portuguese national side following their recent World Cup outing after Patrice Lagisquet’s four-year tenure culminated in their second appearance at the tournament.

Whilst the respective senior sides of each union have never met before, England Saxons took on Portugal at Edgeley Park in 2009 and emerged 66-0 victors before the then upcoming Six Nations campaign.

England A return to action

England Saxons were renamed to England A in 2021 ahead of their later cancelled fixture against Scotland A at Tigers’ ground, but it was back in 2016 when the development side last got a run-out in a 2-0 series win over South Africa A.

The venue in the heart of the East Midlands last welcomed the Red Roses in their 2022 Women’s Six Nations 69-0 victory over Ireland, and has historically played host to five senior England men’s games as well as the 2008 meeting of England Saxons and Ireland A.

Leicester Tigers Chief Executive Officer Andrea Pinchen said: “We are so pleased to be able to have international rugby back at the home of Leicester Tigers, showcasing our what we know to be the best stadium and supporters in the Premiership.

“We saw what a great response there was to the Red Roses when they featured here in Leicester not so long ago and are looking forward to another great crowd, during an extended period without a fixture for our men’s side, here in February.”

READ MORE: State of the Nation: England answer critics to almost pull off huge Rugby World Cup shock

England