Portugal's regular captain Tomas Appleton drops to the bench while Manuel Cardoso Pinto will make a first start at fullback in 18 months amid five changes for their final Rugby World Cup Pool C fixture against Fiji in Toulouse on Sunday.
Portugal will leave the tournament at the end of the pool stage despite some promising displays, but Fiji need a point to make sure of their quarterfinal place at the expense of Australia, who have never failed to make the knockout stages.
Pinto comes into the team for Nuno Sousa Guedes, who has been impressive through the group stage, while Jose Lima takes over as outside centre and captain in place of Appleton.
Prop Francisco Fernandes moves from the bench to start as Steevy Cerqueira and Jose Madeira are reunited in the second row after they started the 18-18 draw with Georgia earlier in the knockout phase.
The @PortugalRugby lineup to face Fiji in Toulouse 👀#RWC2023 | #FIJvPOR pic.twitter.com/516jBEvb7l
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 6, 2023
There is a final change in the pack as Rafael Simones replaces Thibault de Freitas at No 8.
Portugal may have won a new legion of fans for their enterprising rugby, but they have yet to claim victory in a World Cup match having lost all four games on their only other appearance in 2007.
Guedes missed a last-minute kick against Georgia to break their duck.
Hooker Mike Tadjer packs down with Fernandes and Diogo Hasse Ferreira in the front row, while David Wallis and Nicolas Martins are the flankers.
Scrumhalf Samuel Marques and flyhalf Jeronimo Portela make up the half-back pairing, with Pedro Bettencourt partnering Lima in the midfield.
Exciting wingers Rodrigo Marta and Raffaele Storti, who bagged a brace of tries against Georgia, make up the back three with Pinto.
Along with Ireland’s Bundee Aki and Darcy Graham of Scotland, Storti is the only other player at this year's World Cup to beat more than 20 defenders.
Fiji have won both previous meetings with Portugal and their last two fixtures at the tournament in France. They have never won three games in a row at a World Cup.
PORTUGAL TEAM: 1-Francisco Fernandes, 2-Mike Tadjer, 3-Diogo Hasse Ferreira, 4-Jose Madeira, 5-Steevy Cerqueira, 6-David Wallis, 7-Nicolas Martins, 8-Rafael Simoes, 9-Samuel Marques, 10-Jeronimo Portela, 11-Rodrigo Marta, 12-Jose Lima (capt.), 13-Pedro Bettencourt, 14-Raffaele Storti, 15-Manuel Cardoso Pinto
REPLACEMENTS: 16-David Costa, 17-Duarte Diniz, 18-Anthony Alves, 19-Duarte Torgal, 20-João Granate, 21-Joao Belo, 22-Tomas Appleton, 23-Vincent Pinto.