Portugal hope to leave best until last

TOULOUSE – Tournament newcomers Portugal have had their moments and been on the end of some floggings but they sense their payday is coming at the Rugby World Cup when they take on Romania today.

The outgunned Portuguese have been rapturously received by the fans, competing well against Six-Nations teams Scotland and Italy and scoring a coveted try against the New Zealand All Blacks in an 108-13 avalanche. Portugal may have scored only three tries while conceding 24 but the win-less Romanians are closer to their level and they have targeted their final match as their best chance of coming away with something at their first World Cup.”We have to be ambitious as well as being realistic,” coach Tomaz Morais said.”We beat them (Romania) by one point in Lisbon (16-15 in 2003).We’ve also lost to them by numerous points, but we are going to try to surprise Romania.We’re capable of winning.”Romania, ranked 15 to Portugal’s 22, have played in all six World Cups and have only lost once to Portugal in 12 meetings.Coach Daniel Santamans was bitterly disappointed with his side’s 42-0 loss to Scotland in Edinburgh last Tuesday and cannot countenance defeat to Portugal.”The message is that a win against Portugal is a must.We need to play good rugby to win because Portugal are not an easy team at all to take on,” Santamans said Sunday.”If we don’t win now, that would be the worst ever Romanian participation at the World Cup.”Portugal showed they play with pride and passion, they didn’t fear the All Blacks and played as good as they could.”They will play with the same pride against us and will try to make history by winning.The match will not be easy at all.”We need to treat this game with great respect and play our best rugby to win.There is no room for another defeat.”It is also Romania’s best chance of winning here ahead of their last group game against New Zealand next Saturday.Both teams have lost key players with injuries.Romania have lost flyhalf Ionut Tofan with a ruptured bicep muscle and their experienced prop Petru Balan with a left knee injury, while Portugal are without their captain and number eight Vasco Uva, who broke his left hand against Italy and needs an operation.Although Portugal have terrific support in France, the Romanians have 16 of their squad playing for French clubs.”We have to get a win against Portugal.They have made progress in the last three years.We can see the difference.It will not be easy,” Romanian captain Sorin Socol said.”Portugal is close to France so there will probably be lots of Portuguese in the stadium.””But a lot of our players play in France, so I think it will be a small showtime for our two teams.”Romania are chasing their fifth victory at the World Cup after beating Zimbabwe (21-20 in 1987), Fiji (17-15 in 1991), United States (27-25 in 1999) and Namibia (37-7 in 2003).Nampa-AFPPortugal may have scored only three tries while conceding 24 but the win-less Romanians are closer to their level and they have targeted their final match as their best chance of coming away with something at their first World Cup.”We have to be ambitious as well as being realistic,” coach Tomaz Morais said.”We beat them (Romania) by one point in Lisbon (16-15 in 2003).We’ve also lost to them by numerous points, but we are going to try to surprise Romania.We’re capable of winning.”Romania, ranked 15 to Portugal’s 22, have played in all six World Cups and have only lost once to Portugal in 12 meetings.Coach Daniel Santamans was bitterly disappointed with his side’s 42-0 loss to Scotland in Edinburgh last Tuesday and cannot countenance defeat to Portugal.”The message is that a win against Portugal is a must.We need to play good rugby to win because Portugal are not an easy team at all to take on,” Santamans said Sunday.”If we don’t win now, that would be the worst ever Romanian participation at the World Cup.”Portugal showed they play with pride and passion, they didn’t fear the All Blacks and played as good as they could.”They will play with the same pride against us and will try to make history by winning.The match will not be easy at all.”We need to treat this game with great respect and play our best rugby to win.There is no room for another defeat.”It is also Romania’s best chance of winning here ahead of their last group game against New Zealand next Saturday.Both teams have lost key players with injuries.Romania have lost flyhalf Ionut Tofan with a ruptured bicep muscle and their experienced prop Petru Balan with a left knee injury, while Portugal are without their captain and number eight Vasco Uva, who broke his left hand against Italy and needs an operation.Although Portugal have terrific support in France, the Romanians have 16 of their squad playing for French clubs.”We have to get a win against Portugal.They have made progress in the last three years.We can see the difference.It will not be easy,” Romanian captain Sorin Socol said.”Portugal is close to France so there will probably be lots of Portuguese in the stadium.””But a lot of our players play in France, so I think it will be a small showtime for our two teams.”Romania are chasing their fifth victory at the World Cup after beating Zimbabwe (21-20 in 1987), Fiji (17-15 in 1991), United States (27-25 in 1999) and Namibia (37-7 in 2003).Nampa-AFP