Rugby coach that Portugal is strong in the World Cup
“I don’t know if the responsibility is greater, but we have to show that we deserve to qualify for the World Cup, and that the level of our game is good enough to be there. I wouldn’t say it’s a responsibility, but rather a requirement we have with ourselves.”, shot Patrice Lagisquet.
The Europe Championship 2023 starts on Saturday and is now played in a different format from the usual “round robin” (all against all in one round), where the team that adds the most points in the five games played was “crowned” European champion.
Starting this year, the tournament was extended from six to eight athletes, who played in a group stage, with two “poules” of four teams each, which qualified the first two for the semi-finals, while the last two would dispute the permanence in the “Championship”.
About the new format, Lagisquet preferred not to comment, but warned that “the competitive level will not be better” than in previous years, although this allows him to use the first games to broaden the recruiting base, giving some players more international experience.
“We are going to use some different players in these first two games, with Belgium and Poland, to give some opportunities to players who don’t have some time.”, confirmed the coach.
Regarding the objectives of the Portuguese team for this tournament, in particular, Lagisquet assumed that when Portugal enters a competition “has to be to win”, a motto that carries over to all games, including those that Portugal played “with Japan, Italy and Georgia” in the last two years.
Nonetheless, “the big goal” from Portugal will be “continue to improve, show evolution in their game level and that they are able to compete with the best teams in the world”, defines the French coach.
Belgium, Saturday’s opponent, is an “unknown”, since it “changed coach”, while Poland, which Portugal visits on February 11, benefited from the new competitive format to be relegated from the Trophy, the step below ” Championship”.
“The important thing in these first two meetings will be focused on our game. We have to respect the opponent, but think about our processes and implement it in our game plan, which has to be ambitious with these two opponents”, traced Lagisquet.
The last game in Group B will be at home, against Romania, an opponent that Portugal has not beaten “in the last two years” and that will constitute “the first big challenge” of this year, which Portugal will have to “win to ensure the first place of the group and play the semi-finals at home”, most likely against Spain or Georgia, favorites in Group A.
The UEFA European Championship 2023 group stage will take place from February 4 to 19, while the semi-finals will take place on March 4 and 5 and the final will take place on March 18 or 19.