KEY POINTS:
LISBON - From the land which produced Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho come Vasco Uva, Diogo Mateus and Tomaz Morais.
The first three are multi-millionaire, household names; the next three are virtually unknown and face a bruising baptism in the big time of the rugby World Cup next month.
Portugal are making their World Cup debut after being the last of 20 teams to qualify.
Waiting for them in France are Group C rivals Scotland, Italy, Romania and the overwhelming favourites, the mighty All Blacks.
The Portuguese, most of whose players take part in their domestic league, squeezed into the finals courtesy of a 24-23 aggregate play-off victory over Uruguay in Montevideo.
They lost the second-12, but they did enough at home having won the first-5 to make it to France.
While preparing themselves for some embarrassing scorelines in the finals, Portugal, nicknamed Os Lobos (The Wolves) will look to a clutch of players with overseas experience to limit the damage.
Centre Diogo Mateus was on Munster's books last season while lock Goncalo Uva plays in France for Montpellier.
They also have a wily coach in Tomaz Morais who was appointed just after Portugal had won the European Nations Cup in 2004. Moraiz was subsequently nominated for the IRB's coach of the year award.
"It was a wonderful feeling to qualify," said Portugal skipper and Number 8 Uva whose brother Goncalo and cousin Joao are also part of the national squad.
Morais believes his team have been rewarded for sheer hard work and determination.
"It's a wonderful achievement for a group of players and officials that made a huge effort," said the coach after a qualifying campaign which began in 2004.
"My wife and children know how hard it was and that in all these years not one day went past in that I didn't think of the World Cup."
Should Portugal cause an upset and win one of their four qualifiers, then French police should brace themselves for a busy night.
After qualification was secured in Uruguay, six Portuguese players spent a night in the cells after celebrations got out of hand.
The six unnamed players were not charged although Uruguayan police said an officer was struck during a clash with the players in Montevideo's historic centre.
COACH
Tomas Moraiz
Portugal coach Tomaz Morais can't guarantee wins at the World Cup, but he is certain of one thing.
The 38-year-old university professor is determined to enjoy his country's World Cup debut and is realistic in his ambitions.
"It is a very important moment for Portuguese rugby. We will not beat Scotland or New Zealand or Italy because we are amateurs, but if we play well, in my opinion, we can beat Romania," said Moraiz who has been at the helm since 2004 and masterminded his team's marathon World Cup qualifying campaign.
Moraiz played 22 times at centre for Portugal before a chronic back injury forced his retirement.
KEY PLAYER
Vasco Uva, No.8
Vasco Uva will have at least three people on his side when, as expected, Portugal's World Cup debut goes pear-shaped.
That's because the No.8 is one of three brothers in the national team along with lock Goncalo Uva, who plays his club rugby with Montpellier in France, and flanker Joao Uva.
The 24-year-old Vasco is a member of the Direito club in Portugal but played a major role in taking his country to a first World Cup holding his side together in Montevideo when they clinched an aggregate win by just one point.
Uva has played 33 times for Portugal and has scored six tries since making his debut against Georgia in February 2004.
- AFP
