Portugal players break down in tears after winning first Rugby World Cup game
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For the first time in their history, Portugal know what it is like to be winners at a Rugby World Cup.
The European minnows bowed out of the running in France on Sunday after finishing fourth in Group C, but they did so with smiles on their faces. That's after securing a stunning 24-23 win over Fiji, the country's first-ever triumph in eight Rugby World Cup outings to date.
And it showed among the squad when the ball went out for the final time in Toulouse after Rodrigo Marta's late try turned the tide in dramatic fashion. While their tournament exit may be considered a negative overall, numerous players broke down in tears of joy having recorded history on the biggest stage rugby has to offer.
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Portugal are used to collecting wins against football's elite, after all, but the nation is still a relative newcomer on the rugby scene. Having made their World Cup debut with four defeats from as many games in 2007, huge strides were made in France over the past four weeks.
Winger Raffaele Storti and prop Francisco Fernandes supplied the other finishes against Fiji as scrum-half Samuel Marques held his nerve with 11 points off the tee. And every point was made to count as they got over the finish line in stunning style.
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It made for emotional viewing as Os Lobos marked their tournament departure as if they'd won the entire thing. Fiji still advanced to the World Cup knockout stages with a losing bonus point, while Portugal placed fourth in Pool C and finished above Georgia.
History was already made when an 18-18 draw with Georgia earlier in the competition saw Portugal avoid defeat for the first time at a Rugby World Cup. But that achievement couldn't compare with the winning feeling witnessed on Sunday.
England's rugby team will be aiming for glory in France, with Umbro supplying their kits for the tournament. It is the first time that the supplier have been handed the chance to produce the kits, with a traditional white home shirt emblazoned with the iconic red rose.
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Despite their pool-stage exit, Portugal showed massive strides after scoring almost twice as many points and conceding less than half the points tally they leaked in 2007. Head coach Patrice Lagisquet and his staff were also deservedly in hysterics after writing their place in the rugby annals, proving Portugal belongs at this level with one last Herculean effort.
The result means expectations for the team will be even higher in 2027, assuming Portugal qualify for the World Cup's next edition in Australia. But the Wolves won't be looking beyond this week after earning their moment in the sun, delivering a landmark result that will see this side go down as national heroes.
- Rugby World Cup
- Rugby union
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