Os Lobos became the 20th team, and final qualifier, for next year’s tournament as they drew 16-16 with the USA at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai. That meant they went through on points difference after the four team, round-robin competition.
There couldn’t have been a more dramatic finish to a game full of nerves and tension as Samuel Marques levelled the scores with the final kick of the match with a 40 metre penalty. That was good enough to earn his side a place alongside Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia in Pool C.
“It’s hard to explain, it’s one of the best feelings in the world. For the rugby community this is amazing, we’ve been missing from Rugby World Cup for quite some time, and we need a new generation to inspire the kids,” said the Portugal captain Tomás Appleton.
Wales were forced to meet Portugal for the first time in 1994 in a World Cup qualifier ahead of the 1995 tournament in South Africa. It was the first of three games Ieuan Evans’s side faced, beating Portugal, Spain and then Romania to book their ticket to the third edition of the global competition.
It ended up being a record-breaking game for Wales as they ran out winners 102-11, scoring 16 tries. Current WRU Performance Director Nigel Walker scored four of them, while Ieuan Evans bagged a hat-trick at the Lisbon University ground.
Portugal qualified for the 2007 World Cup in France but failed to win in their Pool. They were beaten 108-13 by New Zealand, 56-10 by Scotland, 31-5 by Italy and 14-10 by Romania.
Wales (v Portugal 1994) Mike Rayer; Ieuan Evans (captain), Mike Hall, Nigel Davies, Nigel Walker; Neil Jenkins, Robert Jones, Ricky Evans, Garin Jenkins, John Davies, Tony Copsey, Gareth Llewellyn, Hemi Taylor, Scott Quinnell, Emyr Lewis
