Portugal to the world cup??

[SecondRow04]

Well Portugal have won the 1st of the 2-legged matches against Uruguay 12-5

can they keep up their winning performance and go on to the world cup this year??

id like to see them in it this year.

the second leg is on the 24th March

 

[getofmeland]

Its all Good

More International Rugby Teams competing at the top level the better I say...

 

[allblacksfreak]

i'm putting money on.... erm..... Portugal!

 

[FrozenInferno]

My uni played the Portugal team in their buildup to the qualifiers and we lost by only a few points. I think that there are too many teams in the World Cup, it becomes a bit of a farce when you get cricket scores (Australia beat Namibia 142-0 in 2003). While it does encourage the growth of rugby in countries where it is not a big sport I'm not sure how much it adds to the tournament itself.

 

[bobilycious]

Well, the one thing the people from the portugal team might remember and be proud of is they got to face the all blacks or any other team. They get to play against their heroes and they wont forget that. It would crush their hopes and dreams to have less teams in. Or sumthing like that anyway.

 

[Boggle]

I think the point is that we don't want just the top 6 possible winners of a Rugby world cup, playing teams like Namibia is pointless I agree, but the actuall goal is to get teams like these to perform so there will be atleast 10 teams that can realistically claim challenge to the William web ellis.

It should be more like football, in that teams like holland can be competetive, not the breaking your leg from a tap on the shoulder part.

If this happens soon the RWC might surpass the Olympic games and become the second most watched sporting event in the world and may even start challenging football.... maybe.

 

[O'Rothlain]

My uni played the Portugal team in their buildup to the qualifiers and we lost by only a few points. I think that there are too many teams in the World Cup, it becomes a bit of a farce when you get cricket scores (Australia beat Namibia 142-0 in 2003). While it does encourage the growth of rugby in countries where it is not a big sport I'm not sure how much it adds to the tournament itself.
[/b]

I think it adds greatly. Yes, there are teams that will get blown out. But, it's the only stage where they can see where they are...it's the only stage where we see the true state of world rugby.
Even look at USA Rugby. I play with two guys who will be on our national team this year. I play against many people that will be on our National Team (last weekend versus the Chicago Lions). I am one person removed from a tackle buy the likes of Brian O'Driscoll or a stiff arm from Lote Tuquiri...how crazy is that...? But, we need this to continue to raise the profile of the sport in developing countries.

 

[allblacksfreak]

yeah! put Indonesia in the bloody world cup!

 

[getofmeland]

Lets not have Indonesia, as they have a great player, but they cant even qualify for the world cup maybe 2011 eh!

I defiently think that the more countries involved in the world cup the better for Rugby.. If you take the small clubs out of the world cup they wont have an idea of where they stand on terms of a level.. also you also take the shock factor out of the tournament, you never know there could be a major upset which makes it more interesting for the fanbase as well, which would get more people involved in rugby in these smaller countries and some of the bigger rugby nations...

 

[Mr. Laxative]

Certainly there could be upsets - I mean look at the Cricket World Cup and the matches just past. Bangladesh beating India and ireland beating Pakistan - no one expected that AND they were both played on the same day!

What's more minnows seem to get a lot of support no matter how good or bad. Whenever they score a try they will be celebrated and that one try may raise moral and even awareness of the sport in their home countries. Look at South Africa v Georgia (2003). Closer than a lot of people expected. An SA win was obvious, but the stadium was packed and when Georgia scored their one and only try of the tournament, the crowd just exploded!

Without minnows I doubt there would be scenes such as incredible as those mentioned above in any World Cup.

 

[FrozenInferno]

The cricket world cup is a different kettle of fish altogether though. Upsets are far more likely to happen in a non-contact sport like cricket. Rugby (for the top countries) is played by men who have been training and playing at a high level since they were teenagers. It is their profession, while their opponents playing for teams like Georgia and Namibia are working in the office or teaching in schools (or whatever their workplace may be) the French, Kiwis, Australians, English etc will be doing bleep tests, lifting in the gym or doing contact work on the training field. Rugby today is all about winning the collisions, and professional rugby players are bulked up and trained to ensure that they do so.
With professionalism the gulf has widened. Amateur Munster beat amateur New Zealand in the 70s but this would be spectacularly unlikely to happen today with their professional successors. The chances of amateur nations beating the professionals are even lower. I think the age of big international upsets is over.

That said, a lot of you have made very good cases for the inclusion of fringe countries. It does help hugely in the development of rugby further afield (we are after all very much a minority sport internationally). I do see 100+ drummings as a farce still but I guess to some extent I was motivated by a paranoia that Ireland's strength in depth would be depleted by injuries against Namibia and Georgia..

 

[redunderthebed]

Ill keep the soccer fan in the cage and say either would be good to enter the world cup.

I prefer Portugal because uruguay are pricks.


Damn it i did it.

 

[allblacksfreak]

Lets not have Indonesia, as they have a great player, but they cant even qualify for the world cup maybe 2011 eh!

I defiently think that the more countries involved in the world cup the better for Rugby.. If you take the small clubs out of the world cup they wont have an idea of where they stand on terms of a level.. also you also take the shock factor out of the tournament, you never know there could be a major upset which makes it more interesting for the fanbase as well, which would get more people involved in rugby in these smaller countries and some of the bigger rugby nations...
[/b]

Oh thanks, in 2011 RWC Final, Indonesia will be playing against New Zealand! wuahahhahaha... Amen... :bana:

 

[Mr. Laxative]

Well, it almost seems unbelievable doesn't it? Portugal have qualified with an aggregate win of 24-23! Just one point!

The trend of at least one RWC debutant each time continues.

 

[goranski]

excellent well done to the portuguese in the world cup for the first time beating a vastly more experienced team - portugal really have improved alot over the past couple of years and the experience of having some of their players playing professionally at the French clubs and in the big rugby countries (i.e. Munster's Diogo Mateus and Montpellier's Vasco Uva) has payed off - enjoyed watching uruguay in the last two world cups but happy to see a new face in the tournament...

hopefully this can continue to grow rugby in Portugal - fantastic place for tours and vacations - great bars, great wine and sangria....

 

[Canadian_Rugby_Guy]

getting to the world cup is every rugby player's dream, regardless of who they're facing. By kicking out the worse countries you're not giving the sport a chance to look high-profile in those countries. Meaning that if people have nothing to shoot for, they're going to play something else. The key to building the game is to invite the weaker teams and then offering them support in terms of cash and infrastructure much like the IRB is doing now. I think countries get a substantial wad of cash for qualifying as well which is definitely likely to help the weaker sides.

 

[Ripper]

Portugal are in the All Blacks pool aren't they...

Welcome to the big leagues - Portugal - meet Jerry Collins

 

[allblacksfreak]

Well, the scariest thing is... myself being the first choice blindside will indeed play against Collins when we're in the world cup... Collins, be afraid.. be very afraid...

or not....

 

[Gay-Guy]

Wow....portugal men are so spunky and adored as sex symbols.....the girls back in their homeland may start seeing them as less manly after the AB's squash them.

 

[Lobos]

:bravo: :bana: :cheers:

Here we go, here we go!!! Our victory, for us ( Portugal ) is to be there, with the best!
what a underfull feeling
To play against All Blacks it's a dream come true!!! By any chance, anybody has tickets for that game???
But be awere!!! Lobos ( Wolves ) are ready for the battle :rahh:
In Portugal we are use to Bull Fights, not the Spanish style ( that's for ladies :bleh!: )
the Portuguese way we really "tackle" the bull ( black one's with more than 500 Kg )
So...

Now, talking serious, we are very proud to be in the world cup for the first time.
I've been working for the last 4 years for these achievement.
European Cup's , and the IRB Sevens circuit participation is part of the work.
See you all in September for a rugby party!!!!
Cheers!!!