Portugal make their mark at WC

PARIS – Portu gal have vowed to carry their encouraging performances at their first World Cup to new heights.

“A few weeks ago nobody would have believed we could have pulled off the results we did. We can be well satisfied with our first World Cup,” coach Tomaz Morais said.”We’ve gained a great deal from this experience and we’ll be trying to promote Portuguese rugby,” he told reporters after Portugal signed off with a 14-10 loss to Romania in their final Pool C match in Toulouse on Tuesday.”I’d be pleased to see some of our players taken on by foreign clubs.It would help us raise our level.”Three of the players in the mostly amateur ranks of the Portuguese squad are with French clubs and a few more will have caught the eye during the tournament in France.Portugal gathered a huge following during the tournament, not just from the large Portuguese community in France, with their never-say-die attitude in the face of daunting odds.They kicked off with a 56-10 loss to Scotland in St Etienne, were then crushed but by no means humiliated 108-13 by title favourites New Zealand in Lyon and had Italy worried for more than an hour in Paris before going down 31-5 conceding two late tries.They denied Italy a four-try bonus and on Tuesday they racked up their first point of the World Cup losing by less than seven to Romania, having led for an hour.Portugal’s most remarkable achievement was to have scored a try in each of their four matches, even against the All Blacks.They had the refreshing attitude of not automatically kicking their penalties to try to get points on the board, tapping them into open play or kicking strategically for touch.In Duarte Cardoso Pinto they have a flyhalf of considerable skill whose tactical kicks were seldom off the mark.The pack fought with commitment from the first minute to the last of every match despite the limited physical fitness preparation amateur sides can get.”The players dignified our country with this attitude to play rugby.We played with our heart and we showed to all the people how Portugal plays rugby,” Morais said.”We want to make a new project for Portuguese rugby.We need semi-professional conditions for the players who are in Portugal and we have to make a high quality place to train.”Morais said Joaquim Ferreira, the 34-year-old hooker who holds the Portuguese caps record of 84 and was captain for the night against Romania in his last international before retiring, would be brought into the coaching set-up.”Ferreira will be brought into the coaching outfit.His experience will be invaluable,” Morais said.Ferreira pointed to a size handicap when he said: “Our forwards aren’t big enough.That made all the difference but we battled right to the end and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved here.”Portugal, whose assistant coach Hector Hourcade is Argentine, could do worse than to model their aspirations on those of the Pumas, who have taken huge strides internationally over the last decade.Argentina captain Agustin Pichot said: “They have a lot of things in common.I spoke to some of the Portugal lads and they told me they take the Argentine team as a reference.”Nampa-ReutersWe can be well satisfied with our first World Cup,” coach Tomaz Morais said.”We’ve gained a great deal from this experience and we’ll be trying to promote Portuguese rugby,” he told reporters after Portugal signed off with a 14-10 loss to Romania in their final Pool C match in Toulouse on Tuesday.”I’d be pleased to see some of our players taken on by foreign clubs.It would help us raise our level.”Three of the players in the mostly amateur ranks of the Portuguese squad are with French clubs and a few more will have caught the eye during the tournament in France.Portugal gathered a huge following during the tournament, not just from the large Portuguese community in France, with their never-say-die attitude in the face of daunting odds.They kicked off with a 56-10 loss to Scotland in St Etienne, were then crushed but by no means humiliated 108-13 by title favourites New Zealand in Lyon and had Italy worried for more than an hour in Paris before going down 31-5 conceding two late tries.They denied Italy a four-try bonus and on Tuesday they racked up their first point of the World Cup losing by less than seven to Romania, having led for an hour.Portugal’s most remarkable achievement was to have scored a try in each of their four matches, even against the All Blacks.They had the refreshing attitude of not automatically kicking their penalties to try to get points on the board, tapping them into open play or kicking strategically for touch.In Duarte Cardoso Pinto they have a flyhalf of considerable skill whose tactical kicks were seldom off the mark.The pack fought with commitment from the first minute to the last of every match despite the limited physical fitness preparation amateur sides can get.”The players dignified our country with this attitude to play rugby.We played with our heart and we showed to all the people how Portugal plays rugby,” Morais said.”We want to make a new project for Portuguese rugby.We need semi-professional conditions for the players who are in Portugal and we have to make a high quality place to train.”Morais said Joaquim Ferreira, the 34-year-old hooker who holds the Portuguese caps record of 84 and was captain for the night against Romania in his last international before retiring, would be brought into the coaching set-up.”Ferreira will be brought into the coaching outfit.His experience will be invaluable,” Morais said.Ferreira pointed to a size handicap when he said: “Our forwards aren’t big enough.That made all the difference but we battled right to the end and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved here.”Portugal, whose assistant coach Hector Hourcade is Argentine, could do worse than to model their aspirations on those of the Pumas, who have taken huge strides internationally over the last decade.Argentina captain Agustin Pichot said: “They have a lot of things in common.I spoke to some of the Portugal lads and they told me they take the Argentine team as a reference.”Nampa-Reuters