Portugal, heroes of the last Rugby World Cup, have fallen.
Returning to competition in the Rugby Europe Championship, the antechamber of the Six Nations Tournament, the Portuguese, who had beaten Fiji, were beaten by a valiant team from Belgium (10-6), supported by several thousand supporters in madness at the Stade du Tondreau in Mons.
A monumental feat for the Belgians, who have been working for several years to play the leading roles in this competition contested in particular by Romania and Georgia.
The score is low, but the battle was tough.
After conceding a first penalty at the start of the match, the Black Devils scored the only try of the game via fly half Hugo De Francq, who plays for Agronomia... in Portugal.
One penalty each later, the two teams returned to the locker room with a score of 10-6, a result which would not change in the second period thanks to the heroic defense of the Belgians and due to the Portuguese blunders.
This victory for the Black Devils, which will allow them to move from 29th to 26th place in the next World Rugby rankings, revealed this Monday, offered absolutely incredible scenes of joy.
The tears flowed, the screams pierced the cold.
Moments captured by journalist Gauthier Baudin, present on site, who published a video on his X account (formerly Twitter).
The camera shakes, the shots are random, but the joy is pure.
THE FINAL WHISTLE OF THE BELGIAN VICTORY AGAINST PORTUGAL IN INSIDE!
https://t.co/raRRPC38Ss pic.twitter.com/vFgE6kYEhm
— Gauthier Baudin (@GauthierBaudin) February 4, 2024
“We are dogs, we are dogs,” exulted Charles-Henri Berguet, the left pillar of this Belgian team and RC Vannes, while others exclaimed, as if to convince themselves: “We did it.”
In the public, the party was also complete.
The black-yellow-red flags were out to celebrate the evening's heroes.
Thanks to this victory, Belgium temporarily takes the lead in its group in this Rugby Europe Championship.
Two groups of four teams have been planned.
At the end of the three matches of this first phase, the first two of each group will face each other in the semi-finals then a final.
The Belgians will now have to confirm, starting this Saturday, February 10, against another country qualified for the last World Cup: Romania.
With the expansion of the World Cup to 24 teams from the next edition in Australia, in 2027, the Belgians can now dream of a first participation in the World Cup.