2023-10-09 17:48:11
He is perhaps the happiest group stage qualifier from the Rugby World Cup. Portugal will not see the quarter-finals but their players have nothing to be ashamed of, as much as their jerseys, for their performance. Patrice Lagisquet’s men, valiant winners of Fiji this Sunday (24-23), stand out with their heads held high. Given for the Little Thumb of Pool C, Portugal also held Georgia in check (18-18) and leaves France with the feeling of having built solid foundations for the future. David Gérard, Portugal’s assistant coach, feels the same pride.
How would you define the Portugal World Cup in one word?
DAVID GERARD. Feat! What we did is one of the greatest feats ever achieved in world rugby. I don’t want to offend people but it’s a huge snub to people stuck in the stereotypes of world rugby.
For what ?
Today, some believe that to win matches, you have to play less and less rugby. And the snub is there, while we existed while playing. And sometimes even overplaying. But we existed. Whereas I find that today, we hide far too much behind “ping-pong rugby” with all these kicking exchanges. Whereas we can only get through this with the will to play with the ball.
Can Portugal be optimistic for the future?
The hardest part now will be to properly manage the legacy left by Patrice Lagisquet and the staff. Because there has been a lot of work over the past few months. We created things from scratch. Now, we will have to work to maintain an identity for this group.
The joy of the Portuguese public in the stands of the Toulouse Stadium. Photo Icon sport Abaca / Icon Sport
Has Portugal found a new audience?
We wanted to be the standard bearer for the few thousand people who practiced this sport in Portugal. Before the game on Sunday, I told the players that everything that was happening around us was passing us by. We fought for a nation and we gave dreams to children who will one day, I hope, wear the Portugal jersey. We served as a detonator in Portugal so that lots of young boys felt the desire to play rugby for their country.
Can Portugal one day hope to join the fight at the highest level reserved for a handful of countries?
Already, our performance must give solace to the hearts of what we call “the little ones”. In fact, I used this word when I told the players that they would only be considered small if they agreed to be one. And we refused it. We introduced ourselves as rugby players. Not like little ones. And we did honor to our sport and our jersey. It is this tunic which made the amalgamation between the French-Portuguese and the others. During the warm-up against Fiji, I put a jersey in the center of the field for the forwards and said to them: look, this is the hope that you carry and that people have for you. Be proud of him.”
What have you added?
That it was our last battle in this World Cup and that we had to live this last moment together. And that’s what happened. This proves that even in modern rugby, there is still room for humanity and humanity.
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