Lobos to the World Cup!

[INFESTA]

Nobody will care about this news here, but I hope some day someone will make a movie about them. A 100% amateur team, in a crap home league, with no support from the government or whoever, are going to the World Cup based on sheer force of will. I tip my hat to the Lobos and am very proud of them!

One point takes Portugal to France
Saturday 24th March 2007

Portugal have become the last team to qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is their first time ever to do so but it took a thriller and in the end a single point was enough.

Uruguay who have been to the last two World Cups were their own worst enemies, paying the price for indiscipline.

Uruguay won the second leg of the World Cup qualifier in Montevideo 18-12 but Portugal had won the first leg 12-5. They thus won overall 24-23. By one point! That point is enough to take the Lobos to France and means grave disappointment for the Teros who will stay at home.

In Lisbon Portugal had been leading 12-0 when Uruguay scored a last-minute try to make the score 12-5. That meant that Portugal took a seven-point cushion to Montevideo.

On Saturday the Teros scored two tries, the Lobos none.

After just two minutes Uruguay had lock Juan Bado red-carded, sent off for foul play. That meant that for almost all the match the Teros played with only 14 men.

Nonetheless Uruguay took the lead through penalties by Juan Menchaca and Diego Aguirre but then Portugal levelled matters with penalties by Duarte Pinto and Joao. Then just before half time lock Marcelo Dorey was sent to the sin bin.

With Portugal down to 14 men at the start of the second half, Uruguay took an 11-6 lead with a try will Portugal scored two more penalties to lead 12-11 with 25 minutes to play - 25 tense minutes.

The powerful Uruguayan pack mauled over the line for a try which took them to 18-12. That gave Portugal there point overall lead but with 13 minutes to play, and that is how the score stayed as injury time dragged on and agonisingly on.

 

[::shinji::]

I never follow rugby or even know much about it, so unfortunatly I can't fully appreciate this achievment Is this really a huge shock, I thought Portugal was actually pretty good amongst the second tier rugby teams?

 

[$teauA]

Haha Portugal a good rugby nation (trying to sound like a cocky rugby fan)

Congrats! Prepare to get raped by The Oaks

 

[Avalanche]

Haha Portugal a good rugby nation (trying to sound like a cocky rugby fan)

Congrats! Prepare to get raped by The Oaks

Nah, we can keep it close against you guys, and maybe who knows?

However, we don't have a chance in hell against the other teams in our group. If we can keep the All Blacks under triple digits, then it will be a major accomplishment.

FORÇA OS LOBOS!

 

[INFESTA]

I never follow rugby or even know much about it, so unfortunatly I can't fully appreciate this achievment

Lets put it this way: we're the first amateur team ever to get to a Rugny World Cup.

 

[treble41]

If rugby's the 2nd most popular sport on earth, why are so little countries good at it? Come to think of it, I could say the same for cricket.

And Lobos is talking about Portugal right?

I'm getting pissed, Germany's not climbing the IRB rankings but the USA is 13th? They were so sh it a few years ago.