Portugal’s 2007 RWC Squad
Tomaz Morais has named the 30 players who will go down in history as the first squad to represent Portugal in a Rugby World Cup.Portugal ensured their place at Rugby World Cup 2007 with a dramatic one point aggregate victory 24-23 over Uruguay in the Repechage, despite losing the second leg 18-12 in Montevideo. making them the 20th and final qualifier in March this year.
Portugal squad:
Forwards: Rui Cordeiro, Juan Muré, André Lourenço, Duarte Figueiredo, João Correia, Joaquim Ferreira, Ruben Spachuk, Gonçalo Uva, David Penalva, Marcelo Dias, Diogo Coutinho,Tiago Girão, Juan Somoza, Vasco Uva, João Uva and Paulo Murinello.
Backs: Luis Pissarra, José Pinto, Pedro Cabral, Gonçalo Malheiro, Duarte Pinto, Diogo Mateus, Diogo Gama, Frederico Sousa, Miguel Morais, Pedro Carvalho, António Aguilar, David Mateus, Gonçalo Foro and Pedro Leal.
They are in Pool C alongside tournament favourites New Zealand, Scotland, Italy and Romania with the latter being their best chance of a debut victory. Scotland will be the first team to face Portugal on the World Cup stage in St Etienne on 9 September, six days before Los Lobos run out against the All Blacks in Lyon. Portugal then meet Italy at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 19 September and Romania in Toulouse on 25 September.