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Home / Sport / Rugby / Rugby World Cup

Just make the ball round and we'll win, say Portuguese fans

By Stacey Hunt
13 Sep, 2007 10:03 PM2 mins to read

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KEY POINTS:

The Portuguese of New Zealand are in high spirits as the rugby World Cup underdogs prepare to play the All Blacks.

Ranking 21st on the IRB table, it will be a case of the best versus the worst when Portugal take on the All Blacks this Saturday.

But
that doesn't stop Portuguese supporters from being optimistic.

"Portugals going to win no doubt," said Daniel Silva at the Consulate of Portugal in Auckland.

As the newest team to the competition, and having never faced the mighty ABs before, this good natured humour may be just what's needed.

"We are getting the IRB to make a few changes first," said Mr Silva.

"First the ball has to be round, and secondly they can't touch it with their hands. If these go through then Portugal will definitely win."

Portuguese supporters in New Zealand may be outnumbered watching the game this week, as according to the 2006 census there are only 195 Portugal-born people living here.

Mr Silva said although he knows "not a thing" about the Portuguese team he will of course be watching and supporting them.

Also cheering on the team from this side of the world will be 31-year-old Ana Machado.

The Herne Bay resident has been in New Zealand for three years and said this Saturdays game will be a case of, "David against Goliath".

Being a soccer-dominated country, rugby receives little attention in Portugal.

"I didn't even know there was rugby in Portugal," said Ms Machado.

In fact, Ms Machado said rugby is so irrelevant to Portugal that she does not think the games will even be aired there.

But every team has to start somewhere, she said.

"It's just one of these things, I mean we may be the next Argentina," said Mr Silva.

Even if as Ms Machado says, "It's probably going to take us a century to get there."

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