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PARIS - For some well-heeled members of the International Rugby Board, Namibia and Portugal must seem like gate-crashers who have brought cans of warm beer to their champagne World Cup party.
But despite hints of a slimmed-down tournament in New Zealand in 2011, the game's have-nots are determined not to become cast-offs.
"The naysayers who talk of segregation in rugby can go stuff themselves," thundered Canada coach Rick Suggitt in one of the more colourful responses to the suggestion that the current number of 20 finalists will be reduced to 16.
Canada gave Wales a mighty scare taking a 17-9 lead on the back of three tries before the Six Nations side's greater puff told in a group match.
Those nations facing the chop when the decision is made in November have pleaded for a stay of execution, insisting they can be competitive if there's a fairer distribution of the tournament's estimated 160million dollar profits.
"If we could get more money for development we can go further," insisted Hakkies Husselman, the coach of Namibia, statistically the worst team in France.
The Africans lost all four matches, scored just 30 points and shipped 212. Portugal, in their first World Cup, scored 38 points against 209.
Half of those points conceded came in a 108-13 mauling by the All Blacks.
"Tier Three countries are struggling. If you play big Tier One nations like New Zealand, Australia and South Africa you get hammered," said Husselman.
IRB chairman Syd Millar insists the powers-that-be are doing all they can to help the minnows.
"We're spending approximately 30 million pounds each year on development and the Pacific Islands and Argentina enjoy a goodly percentage of that," said Millar keen to stress the rise of the Pumas who made the semi-finals for the first time.
Millar said that no decision has been made on the number of teams for 2011.
"What we do after every World Cup is review. Every World Cup should improve on the last and I think this has improved on the last one (in Australia in 2003)," he said.
"New Zealand tendered for the Rugby World Cup on the basis of 20 teams but we have to review and we will do that."
Portugal, the last team to make sure of a place in the finals after a marathon qualifying competition which started over three years ago, also demanded clemency.
"It is only by playing against better players that we can evolve," said Portugal coach Tomaz Morais whose team was made up mostly of amateurs.
Asked if the tournament should be cut to 16 teams, Morais responded bluntly: "I don't think that's how rugby should be treated.
"There are teams that play to be champions and others which have other goals. The World Cup should be 20 teams. It helps develop rugby."
His cause was championed by All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
"It's important that we develop the game throughout the world," said Henry.
"Portugal will go home a better team because of their exposure to better teams. We've got to give them that opportunity."
Fiji, playing a refreshing brand of free-flowing rugby, reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 20 years while Pacific neighbours Tonga would have clinched a famous win over the Springboks had it not been for an unfortunate bounce.
Their acheivements came despite a history of seeing their best talent poached by Australia and New Zealand.
Fiji believe those regional rugby superpowers should at least have the courtesy to play more Tests against their neighbours.
The All Blacks, which numbered two Fiji-born but New Zealand-raised wingers in their squad, have only played Fiji on four occasions, winning easily each time.
But tellingly New Zealand have faced Australia 128 times and South Africa 72 times over the same period.
The last time Australia went to play in Fiji was 1984.
- AFP
