Daniel Hourcade is now the Caretaker Coach of Portugal. The former Head Coach of Argentina takes up the position until July. This means that the man who coached Argentina to the Semi Finals of Rugby World Cup 2015 will be in charge of Portugal in the Rugby Europe Championship and the July Internationals.
Portugal open their Rugby Europe Championship campaign on February 03 against Belgium in Mons before facing Poland and Romania. Come July Os Lobos will make history by facing the World Champions, the Springboks in South Africa on July 20. Hourcade thus has a highly challenging assignment ahead of him.
The Tucumano replaces Patrice Lagisquet who stepped down after the World Cup. Sébastien Bertrank was appointed his replacement but resigned in November. The appointment of Hourcade will enable Portugal the time to find who they deem to be the appropriate longterm coach as Portugal prepare for the Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification process.
Of note is that World Rugby appointed Hourcade as consultant to Portugal and Spain in 2021. Prior to that he was assistant to Tomáz Morais when Portugal played in their first ever Rugby World Cup in 2007.
He is also a highly important figure in his home continent. Indeed, Hourcade is among the most influential figures behind the scenes for World Rugby in South America.
Joining Hourcade will be Esteban Meneses. The Argentine coached Los Teros from 2016-2023. With him in charge, Uruguay reached the heights of defeating Fiji at the World Cup in Japan in 2019. His second World Cup in charge of Uruguay saw a win over Namibia and respect well-and-truly earned against France.
Hourcade will be the Caretaker Head Coach of Portugal while Esteban Meneses will be the Forwards Coach. Another prominent Argentine will be on the coaching staff as Rodolfo Ambrósio has been named as scrum coach.
Ambrósio was Head Coach of Brazil during Os Tupis’ greatest ever era. With him in charge Brazil recorded wins over Canada and the USA during the years of the now defunct Americas Rugby Championship (2016-2019).
In addition to Hourcade, Meneses and Ambrósio the coaching staff will also include João Mirra as backs coach and Luís Pissarra as defense coach.
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