Wales continued their record perfect run in this World Cup. Coach Warren Gatland, impressed by the Portuguese performance on Saturday, believes the World Cup should be opened to more teams.
The issue has been debated for several days, especially after the river goal between New Zealand and Namibia. (71-3) and South Africa against Romania (76-0). Two matches with nothing at stake, with the unfortunate impression that the actors did not practice the same sport on the field of play. For Portugal, 16th world nation – right in front ofUruguay that sold its skin dearly against the blues – the experience was better, and the “Wolves”, intrepid and generous, can even port regrets after his defeat 28 to 8.
Pushed, the Welsh still won with the offensive bonus, but coach Warren Gatland wanted to pay tribute to the Portuguese team after the match. “Portugal put pressure on us, they passed the ball. They impressed me.” While Voices are raised to demand greater competition.Gatland does not share the same opinion. “Uruguay was excellent against France. It’s magnificent for rugby. We’ve seen several games like that. It’s fantastic. Portugal played very well against us, showed great enthusiasm and multiplied initiatives, and Uruguay had bad luck against France.”
“We want lower teams to revolutionize world rugby”
The coach of the Welsh team went even further and called for a World Cup extended to more nations: “It’s important to develop these second-tier nations, and maybe we can end up with a 24-team World Cup later on. I think that would help our sport progress.” Against the Portuguese, Wales had many difficulties to make their game count, like the French team against the South Americans. In the experience, Jac Morgan’s teammates came out firing and the “wolves” missed opportunities, whether they were stitches on the foot with a Samuel Marques diminished due to calf discomfort or due to a lack of clarity in the scoring areas, which explains the difference of 20 points at the final whistle. “I feel great pride, but also a lot of frustration.”confided the scrum-half. We could have done better. But we have not given up our principles. “We wanted to show that Portuguese rugby was there and I think we achieved it.”
In short, the Lusitanians moved the ball better than the Welsh, and if the match was enjoyable to watch, we owe it to the performance of the men of Patrice Lagisquet and not the semifinalists of the 2019 edition. “We want inferior teams to disrupt the world of rugbyeven Warren Gatland said after the game. As long as he’s not the coach of the team in trouble.”, he added with a smile. with maybe more Matches organized outside the World Cup against Tier 2 nations, Gatland’s wish could come true. But I’m not sure rugby wants to go this way when it comes to world league project approved to replace the traditional November tours…
