Chile bring festival feel despite debut defeats

BORDEAUX, France : Chile's rugby team echoed their fans' exuberance just in being at their first World Cup, shrugging off back-to-back losses against Japan and Samoa to celebrate their presence at the sport's biggest tournament.

"It’s hard to put it in words to be honest. This is such an amazing feeling. I feel so alive," Chile captain Martin Sigren said after the 43-10 defeat to Samoa.

For Sigren, who usually plies his trade for Doncaster Knights in the unshowy conditions of English rugby's second tier championship, the Stade de Bordeaux in full voice with an official tally of 39,291 fans for the first ever international between Samoa and Chile presented a fine contrast.

Sporting a condor tattoo on his forearm, the team's emblem, and a bruised eye from the game, Sigren praised the special atmosphere generated by the swathes of Chilean fans.

"Being in the middle of all this especially with this amazing Chilean crowd cheering you, I got my family here supporting me as well so it's so special," Sigren said.

Chile fans in their red shirts formed rings outside the pristine pillared white box of the Stade de Bordeaux before the match, couples taking it in turn to enter the space and circle each other in the traditional Cueca dance.

Inside they roared, chanted "ole ole ole, Chile, Chile", shouted and whistled in a thunderous show of support.

"We expected a great game, we missed too many things but definitely Chilean rugby has changed," coach Pablo Lemoine said.

It was discipline that let Chile down as much as the raw power of their Samoan opponents, Lemoine said, after Chile conceded 17 penalties and two yellow cards in game played mostly in good spirits but which became scrappy and spiky in the final quarter.

"We respected our