Respect for Australia has sunk so low that people ask the coach of winless Portugal, “Think you can beat them?”
Patrice Lagisquet wishes.
He smiles at the cheek of the question. He knows that even though the Wallabies are down and almost out of the Rugby World Cup, they still pose a formidable challenge for his team on Sunday in Saint-Etienne.
“It’s fantastic to hear everyone say, ‘Do you think you can win?’” Lagisquet says. “But don’t forget we are the 16th nation in the ranking and will play a team used to playing at a higher level with very good players and a very good coach.
“If we are very lucky, maybe we will have a little chance. But don’t forget they won by 20 points against Georgia, who we just drew with. But I am proud of what we do and consider that we will play one of the best teams in the world even if they are not at their best at the moment.”
Meanwhile, defending champion South Africa can secure a quarterfinal place on Sunday in Marseille with a bonus-point win against Tonga, which needs its own bonus-point win to stay in the running.
AUSTRALIA vs. PORTUGAL (First meeting)
South Africa’s Jasper Wiese,left, is tackled by Ireland’s Caelan Doris, 8, and Tadhg Beirne during the Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. Credit: AP/Christophe Ena
The Wallabies were waiting on Fiji’s result against Georgia on Saturday night to confirm they were going home after the pool stage. A Fiji bonus-point win would advance it from Pool C and send Australia to its earliest exit ever.
Whichever way Fiji goes, the Wallabies seek some consolation redemption in their first ever match with Portugal.
The losses to Fiji and Wales over the last two weekends have gone down in history, but Australia has never lost more than two matches at a tournament.
A misfiring attack has tallied only six tries in France, and hasn’t tested the edge often enough. To that end, the…
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