Two days before the start of the football World Cup in Qatar, on November 20, 2022, the prowess of Portugal's rugby players struggled to make its way into the front page of the three local sports dailies. The Record newspaper was satisfied the next day with a discreet "Wolves return to the World Rugby" relegated to the bottom of its front page. The information was however not trivial since 16 years after their first participation in a Rugby World Cup, they had just won their ticket for this competition which will take place from September 8 to October 28 in France.

The "Lobos" had won the day before in Dubai a qualifying tournament bringing together four teams (United States, Kenya, Hong Kong and Portugal) at the end of which was awarded the twentieth and last place of the World Cup-2023. A competition that the Portuguese won on the difference of points scored, after a last draw against the United States (16-16) snatched beyond regulation time on a penalty kick.

The kick that sends @PortugalRugby to France 🤩 #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/HWs8UHjMDb

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) November 18, 2022

That crucial equaliser was the work of Portugal scrum-half Samuel Marques. The 34-year-old earned his first caps for Portugal in 2012, joining many players born in France to Portuguese parents. "It was a unique opportunity to know the international level and discover another culture," says this player of US Carcassonne, who is preparing to live a "great moment of pleasure" at the next World Cup.

Samuel Marques relishes this qualification all the more as he had chosen to stay away from the Portuguese selection for eight years, privileging his club career. His return in 2021 is explained by the presence at the head of the Lobos of a great figure of French rugby, Patrice Lagisquet. "He has contributed to the Portuguese national team becoming more professional. His arrival changed everything," said Samuel Marques.

A promising generation

The former player of the XV of France, who has 46 caps for the Blues and played in the first World Cup final in 1987, himself offered his services to the Portuguese Federation in the summer of 2019. He highlighted his experience as coach of Biarritz Olympique - with three titles of champion of France to the key - and that acquired within the coaching of the Blues during the 2015 World Cup. "I wanted to be the coach of a national team and I told myself that this position was compatible with my professional and associative activities," says Patrice Lagisquet, who had no particular links with Portugal and often uses English to communicate with the group.

He attacked this mission with a staff composed of French coaches and Portuguese technicians in charge of the local under-20 selection. "There was a generation of very talented players and we knew there was potential," said Patrice Lagisquet, mentioning the nugget Rodrigo Marta. At only 23 years old, this winger licensed to US Dax already has the record for tries scored in the Portuguese jersey. He also played for the national rugby 7s team and the Lusitanos, which plays in the Rugby Europe Super Cup, a competition created to provide a professional and international framework for Europe's smaller nations.

Congratulations to Rodrigo Marta who became the leading try scorer in the history of Portuguese rugby at the age of just 23! pic.twitter.com/ZFq39RL1Je

— Rugby Europe (@rugby_europe) February 14, 2023

Patrice Lagisquet, 60, is delighted to be able to rely on the "speed and creativity" of the Portuguese three-quarters that he combines with the experience of players who have played for many years in French professional rugby. This is particularly the case within the forward pack, with hooker Mike Tadjer or second-row Steevy Cerqueira. "We've made good progress in terms of power. We saw it against Georgia, we were able to hold a half, "analyzes the coach of the Lobos.

The reunion with Georgia

The match Lagisquet refers to was the final of the "Tournament of 6 Nations B", whose official name is the Rugby Europe Championship, a kind of second division of European rugby. Led by a single point at half-time (11-12), Portugal had cracked in the second period of this match played on March 19 and lost 11-38 against the formidable Georgia, which thus signed its sixth consecutive title in this competition.

These two teams will face each other again at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, in the group stage. Currently ranked 16th in the world, Portugal will first play Wales (9th), Georgia (11th), Australia (7th) and finally Fiji (13th). The challenge promises to be very high for Portugal, who had 4 defeats in the 2007 edition, including a very large one against New Zealand (108-13). On the other hand, he lost only 4 points against Romania (10-14) "We want to offer a beautiful rugby. This team has a lot to learn and the young players will gain valuable experience," said Patrice Lagisquet.

🏉 #RencontresàXV | Patrice Lagisquet won the Six Nations twice as a player and then played for the France XV as an assistant coach.

🇵🇹 His adventure is now being written at the head of the selection of Portugal, which he qualified for the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/2ZafV820MP

— francetvsport (@francetvsport) February 4, 2023

Unlike the other participating nations, the Portugal team had a shorter planning phase as it was the last to qualify for the World Cup. It struggles to find experienced opponents available for friendly matches this summer. However, his preparation will last as long as that of the other selections in contention, including a 15-day training camp in Font-Romeu, in the French Pyrenees.

The trips of the Portuguese selection, which will play in Nice, Toulouse (2 times) and Saint-Étienne, should give rise to beautiful scenes of jubilation because of the importance of the Portuguese community in France. The time of a World Cup, the national rugby team will try to convert it to the oval ball. And the Portuguese Rugby Union hopes to take advantage of the performances of the selection led by captain Tomas Appleton to help rugby take off in Portugal.

20 teams for a title

The 2023 World Cup, which will take place from 8 September to 28 October in ten French cities, will see 20 teams divided into four groups compete for the world title. France 24 offers you, between now and the kick-off of this major sporting event, a series of articles on the teams in the running. With a publication the "XV" of each month.

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