Sporting Digest: Rugby Union:

RUGBY UNION

RUGBY UNION

Spain won through to next year's World Cup thanks to a four-point win over Portugal at Murrayfield last night. Portugal scored the only tries of the match - Thiery Teixeira crossing in the first half and then Rohan Hofman closing the game in the same fashion as he did last Saturday on the same ground against Scotland - but Andrei Kovalenko's six penalties helped put Spain through. The Spanish flanker, Jose Diaz, was yellow-carded for preventing Portugal quickly taking a penalty and was then sent off for persisting in telling the English referee Steve Lander what he thought of the decision. Portugal now go on to a play-off with Uruguay.

WORLD CUP EUROPEAN QUALIFYING ZONE Pool 3: Spain 21, Portugal 17. Spain: Penalties Kovalenko 6; Drop goal Diez. Portugal: Tries R Hoffman, Teixeira; Conversions Mourao, Teixeira; Penalties Teixeira. (at Murrayfield).