Portugal tries to grab “window of opportunity” at Rugby World Cup ‘sevens’
Portugal disputes, at 07:45 (Lisbon time), the one against Ireland, the opening they have already faced and against which they could have done “more and better”, recalled the coach, in statements to the Lusa agency, which leaves open the possibility of overcoming the pre-round of 16, which will determine eight selections to ‘pair’ with the seeds of the series.
“We know there is a window of opportunity. We are better and more prepared than in qualifying, so we have to believe we can grab it. We know the difficulties and the experience they have, but we also know that it is possible and that we are focused to face the first game as a great challenge”, said the Portuguese coach.
In addition, the current competitive World Cup, with a kind of qualifying round to open the competition, which “is almost a ‘cut’”, can leave Portugal just one win away from improving its best participation of five in previous presences, a 10th place obtained in Hong Kong in 2005.
However, stressed the coach, who participates as a third player for Portugal in the competition, “the pressure is on the Irish side”, since “they are the ones who have the obligation to pass the ‘cut’”.
In victory over the Irish, Portugal faces, on the same day, England, in a case of high degree of difficulty, but that can give immediate access to the first eight places.
“That’s what happened to us… They are higher in the ‘ranking’, we are lower, but we have to make our way. Just the fact that we are present already means that we have climbed some stairs. It is a sign of progress, a development and especially that we have young people and new blood capable of giving us a lot of joy”, commented Sousa.
The coach, moreover, is one of the elements with the most experience in rugby’sevens’ World Championships, he will be about to start his second participation as a coach, after appearances as a player, among which the Hong Kong World Cup.
“At the time, I placed 10th, which was great for national rugby and for me in particular ‘captain’. Improving that result, now as a coach, would have a special taste”, Frederico Sousa.
In this sense, and based on the experience acquired, the coach had no doubts in conveying to the players that, “first of all”, they should “enjoy” this presence in Cape Town.
“It’s completely different from the World Tour. The combination of the teams, the environment, the experience, the framing, the pomp and all the surrounding circumstances, because it only takes place every four years, is a unique and technical opportunity of a lifetime”, highlighted the.
Portugal will compete from Friday in the Rugby World Championship ‘sevens’, which runs until Sunday, in Cape Town, South Africa.
The team led by Frederico Sousa faces Ireland (07:45, Lisbon time) in the pre-round of 16 teams and, in case of victory, goes to the round of 16, where England on the day (13: 30) .
In case of defeat in the first game, the ‘wolves’ only get back into action on Saturday, to play in the quarter-finals of the Bowl Cup, the competition’s trophy, against the team defeated in the confrontation between Germany and Chile.
For Portugal’s sixth presence at the ‘seven’ World Cup, Frederico Sousa called Diogo Rodrigues, Diogo Sarmento, Duarte Moreira, Fábio Conceição, João Vaz Antune, José Maria Vilar Gomes, João Rosa, José Paiva dos Santos, Manuel Vareiro, Nuno Sousa Guedes, Rodrigo Freudenthal and Vasco Ribeiro.