What no one expected at all was that fewer than four hours later, Portugal beat England in a “do or die” game that had the crowd hushed in disbelief as a highly charged Portugal dug deep and pipped England 14-12.

Under two minutes into the game England scored but failed to convert the try and add two points. That was to prove costly. Just three minutes later, Portugal’s Fredric Oliveira burst through the England defence and scored in a very kickable position in the center of the try line and converted the try.

At the re-start England were clearly determined to overtake and seal the Portuguese team’s fate but Portugal were having none of it. They were to a man calmly suicidal in their tackling, the defense held and broke just once five minutes into the half allowing another England try, this time converted.

Twelve points to seven looked as if it might be the final score but 38 seconds after time after a beautifully timed ball off-load from a downed player, that man Oliveira sprinted through the unready England defense and scored in the corner. A well-balanced conversion signalled an England defeat and the start of unusual, for a rugby field, wild celebrations by a very emotional Portugal.

It was a well-deserved victory as for most of the game, Portugal had held possession of the ball and they played with a determination that England simply did not match.

Another wild card and unfancied team Zimbabwe also overturned a favorite, Argentina. The south American team looked confused and disordered against Zimbabwe who fielded a team that seemed to have got hold of a great deal of muscle since last year. They were fast, skilled and very strong and even the famous Argentine “daisy cutter” tackling failed to stop the repeated assaults on their goal line that produced a 24-14 win for Zimbabwe who later fell to the USA 28-12.

There was yet more sorrow in store for Argentina. A transformed and well-schooled USA overpowered them in a fast running hard tackling display inflicting a 24-19 point defeat on the crowd favorite.

Portugal however was on the rampage. In a thrilling and very physical match they took on France and gave Oliveria a chance to really extend himself. He did, running in three tries with Camille Canivet chasing him with two. A delirious crowd excited to see the victory of the underdog three times in a day cheered the jubilant Portuguese off the field celebrating a day’s work well done.

Saudi club teams played the second rounds of the tournament with Al Khobar Veterans reaching the final and an all-Riyadh affair for late evening when the Riyadh Warriors face the Riyadh Falcons.

Jeddah Rugby Club suffered a 31-10 defeat against a faster and bigger Multiplex Maurauders in an ill-tempered game that saw two yellow-card sendings-off for foul play imposed on the Maurauders. Only four Jeddah club players were in the squad, the rest were drawn from pool players as a result of the new qualification regulations for team members. It has had a devastating effect on expatriate players in the Kingdom and their clubs.