The IRB Nations Cup continued on Sunday with victory for Argentina A against Russia and a cracking draw between hosts Portugal and Italy A, but the real winner on a weekend of entertaining and high-quality rugby was the inaugural competition that really has captured both the heart and the imagination of the people in Lisbon.

Portugal is a country on the move in world Rugby. Interest in the game has never been higher and in hosting the 2006 IRB Nations Cup in the impressive University Stadium, the Union has taken the Game outside the usual rugby family, and it is already reaping rewards. A strong support of well over 3000 spectators were in attendance for Sunday's double-header, making themselves heard as they got right behind a Portugal team hoping to bounce back from the shock defeat to Russia.

Argentina A 64 - Russia 6

Argentina A's comprehensive 64-6 victory all but assures the competition's stand-out side a top place finish in the IRB Nations Cup with a round to go, but despite the scoreline Russia's performance continues to suggest that it is on an upward spiral.

Fielding a bruising pack, Argentina A were on paper favourites to win this clash, and indeed had much the better of the forward exchanges, creating the platform to score eight well worked tries. However, Russia also possess a formidable eight and held their own for the opening half, ensuring that Argentina A did not have it all their own way.

The Argentina side's victory was also spearheaded by an impressive display by fly half Hernan Senillosa, who contributed 22 points, including a try in an almost flawless display. Replacement centre Juan Gauthier and winger Tomas de Vedia - both IRB Sevens stars for their country - each grabbed a brace of tries as Argentina ran away with the game after the interval.

Indeed Russia, competing well at the break down had led when Yuri Kushnarev took advantage of poor discipline to kick his side to a 3-0 lead and Russia caused their opponents several problems in an entertaining first half that ended with Argentina A 22-6 to the good after tries by Senillosa, openside Marcelo Bosch and blindside Augusto Petrelli.

The second half, though, was a one-sided affair as Argentina scored five tries and wrapped up the important bonus point by the 47th minute when de Vedia crossed for the first of his two tries. Further scores followed for Gauthier (2), Horacio Agulla, before de Vedia rounded-off an impressive performance with the final try in the 79th minute.

These are good times for Argentina Rugby on the field and the A team's performance comes on the back of good showings in the IRB Under 21 World Championship and the Test side's victory over Wales in Buenos Aires on Saturday evening.

Portugal 26 v Italy A 26

Argentina A's comprehensive eight-try victory over Russia in the opening Round Two game of the afternoon had perhaps left a partisan Lisbon support apprehensive about their team's chances against a strong and experienced Italy A side. However, in what was undoubtedly the match of the competition so far, Portugal, playing with a great deal of passion and determination, gave the home crowd something to cheer about, holding on for a 26-26 draw.

The hosts, looking to bounce back from the disappointment of the opening round defeat to Russia, produced a magnificent performance to lead this match from kick-off until the very last minute of the game when fly half Luciano Oquera crossed over in the last play of the game for a try which he converted to secure a share of the points for Italy A.

Portugal raced into a 13-3 lead inside the opening quarter of a blistering match after a try by David Mateus and some exemplary kicking by fly half Goncarlo Malmeiro and held a teen point advantage at half time against an Italy A side that struggled to get into the game.

Portugal forged further ahead immediately after the interval when Rederico Sousa touched down for a converted try to give the home side a 26-9 advantage, much to the approval of the home fans.

Italy A, clearly rocked by the scoreline, made a raft of substitutions as the game entered the final quarter and the injection of fresh legs in extremely hot conditions made an immediate impact as winger Ludovico Nitoglia started the fight back with a try.

Subjected to massive pressure thereafter, Portugal showed grit and determination to hang on, but two quick-fire tries in the final two minutes of the match by Luciano Orquera ensured that Italy A finished the game with a share of the points.

The IRB Nations Cup concludes on Saturday when Portugal play Argentina A and Russia tackle Italy A.

IRB Nations Cup Round 2 details:

ARGENTINA A ; 1 DANIEL, RODRIGUEZ, 2 EUSEBIO, GUINAZU, 3 PABLO, CARDINALI, 4 PABLO, BOUZA (CAPT) 5 ESTEBAN, LOZADA, 6 AUGUSTO, PETRILLI, 7 AGUSTIN, GUZMAN, 8 GENARD, FESSIA, 9 NICOLAS, VERGALLO
10 MARCELO, BOSCH, 11 HORACIO, AGULLA, 12 PABLO GOMEZ CORA. 13 HERNAN, SENILLOSA, 14 TOMAS, DE VEDIA, 15 BERNARDO, STORTONI, 16 AGUSTIN, COSTA REPETO, 17 JUAN, GOMEZ, 18 JAIME, ARACENA, 19 MARIANO, LORENZETTI, 20 LUCIO, LOPEZ FLEMING, 21 AGUSTIN, DURAN
22 JUAN, GAUTHIER

RUSSIA: 1 ALEXANDER, KHROKIN, 2 ROMAN, ROMAK, 3 IVAN, PRICHEPENKO, 4 ALEXANDER, VOITOV, 5 VALERY, FEDCHENKO, 6 ARTEM, FATACHOV, 7 ANDREY, GARBUZOV, 8 VLADISLAV, KORSHUNOV, 9 ALEXANDER, SHAKIROV, 10 ALEXEY, KOROBEYNIKOV, 11 PAVEL, NOVIKOV
12 YURI, KUSHNAREV, 13 YAROSLAV, RECHNEV, 14 ALEXANDER,, 15 GVOZDOVSKIY, 16 VALERY, IGNATIEV, 17 SERGEY, NOVOSELOV, 18 SERGEY, POPOV, 19 KIRILL, KUSHNAREV, 20 VIATCHESLAV, GRACHEV, 21 VIKTOR, MOTORIN, 22 ANDREY, KUZIN

PORTUGAL: 1 JUAN, MURRE, 2 JUAN, VARGAS, 3 JOAQUIM, FERREIRA , 4 GONCALO, UVA, , 5 MARCELLO, DIAS, 6 DAVID, CARVALHO, 7 PAULO, MURINELLO, 8 VASCO UVA (CAPT), 9 JOSE, PINTO, 10 GONCALO, MALMEIRO, 11 PEDRO, CARVALHO, 12 DIOGO, MATEUS, 13 FEDERICO, SOUSA, 14 MIUEL, PORTELA, 15 PEDRO, LEAL, 16 CRISTIAN, SPACHUK, 17 RUI, CORDEIRO, 17 DIOBO, COUTINHO, 18 MANUEL, PEREIRA, 19 LUIS, PISSARRA, 20 DUARTE, PINTO, 22 DAVID, MATEUS,

ITALY A: 1 LUIGI, MILANO, 2 LUIGI, FERRARO, 3 EMANUELE, BRANCALION, 4 ANTONIO, PAUANELLO, 5 VALERIO, BERNABO, 6 ENRICO, PAUANELO, 7 AARON, PERSICO, 8 GONZALO, PEDRO, 9 PINO, PATELLI, 10 LUCIANO, ORQUERA, 11 LUDOVICO, NITOGLIA, 12 MATTEO, BARBINI (CAPT), 13 GABRIEL, PIZZARRO, 14 SAMUELE, PACE, 15 NICOLA, PAVIN, 16 MICHELE, RIZZO, 17 LORENZO, CITLADIN, 18 DAVID, DALMASO, 19 ROBERTO, MANDELLI, 20 PICTRE, TRAVAGLI, 21 CLAUDIO, SPADARO, 22 NICCOLO, TEMPESTIN

IRB NATIONS CUP ROUND TWO STANDINGS

P W L D PF PA PD BP PTS
1 Argentina A 2 2 0 0 90 17 73 2 10
2 Russia 2 1 1 0 43 81 -28 1 5
3 Italy A 2 0 1 1 37 52 -15 0 2
4 Portugal 2 0 1 1 43 63 -20 0 2