Spain
UnionSpanish Rugby Federation
Coach(es)Pablo Feijoo
Captain(s)Igor Genua (2017-18)
Top scorerFrancisco Hernández (449)
Most triesPol Pla (50)
Team kit
Change kit

Spain's national rugby sevens team is one of 15 core teams participating in all ten tournaments of the World Rugby Sevens Series,[1] having qualified by winning the 2017 Hong Kong Sevens qualifier tournament. Spain participated as a core team in the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series, but was relegated the following season.

The team trains together at the country's Olympic training facilities in Madrid, which itself has been a result of the sport entering its first Olympic cycle.[2] Spain won the 2016 Olympic qualifying repechage tournament by beating Samoa 22–19 to qualify for the last available qualifying spot for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[3][4][5]

The team also competes annually in Rugby Europe's Sevens Grand Prix Series tournament.[6]

Tournament history

Summer Olympic Games

Spain's Olympic Games results
Year Round Position Pld W L D
Brazil 2016 Placement round 10th 5 1 4 0
Japan 2020
Total Placement round 1/1 5 1 4 0
Matches
Pool stage  Spain 0 – 24  South Africa Loss
Pool stage  Spain 12 – 26  Australia Loss
Pool stage  Spain 5 – 26  France Loss
9–12th place playoff Semi-final  Spain 14 – 12  Kenya Win
9–12th place playoff Ninth place  Spain 14 – 24  United States Loss

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Rugby World Cup Sevens Record
Year Round Position Pld W L D
Scotland 1993 Plate Finalist 10th 7 3 4 0
Hong Kong 1997 Plate Quarterfinalist 13th 5 3 2 0
Argentina 2001 Plate Semifinalist 11th 7 4 3 0
Hong Kong 2005 Did Not Qualify
United Arab Emirates 2009
Russia 2013 Bowl Quarterfinalist 21st 4 0 4 0
United States 2018 Did Not Qualify
Total 0 Titles 4/7 23 10 13 0

World Rugby Sevens Series

See also: World Rugby Sevens Series

Spain started off the 2012–13 IRB Sevens Series with a bang at the 2012 Gold Coast Sevens, defeating core teams Wales and England to finish ninth and win the Bowl. Pedro Martin led Spain in scoring in the 2012 Gold Coast Sevens, contributing 5 tries and 27 points, while Pablo Feijoo added 4 tries and 22 points.[7]

Spain was elevated to "core team" status for the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series, following its performance in qualifying at the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens. At that tournament, Spain defeated Zimbabwe, Philippines, Tonga and Japan to reach the finals, where it lost to Canada.[8] Spain participated in other events during the 2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series. In that season, Spain played in the 2012 Scotland Sevens, reaching the Bowl finals, and the 2012 London Sevens, reaching the Cup quarterfinal.

Spain’s best finish on the World Series was the 2017–18 season where Spain finished 11th.

Team

Current squad

For a complete list of players in the current World Series, see 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series squads § Spain.

Former squads

Spain squad for the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series

2017–18 Sevens Series[9]
Player Age
Alejandro Alonso 19
Francisco Hernández 29
Ignacio Martin Goenaga 34
Ignacio Rodriguez-Guerra 22
Igor Genua (c)[10] 29
Iñaki Villanueva 27
Jacobo Martin Beamonte 24
Jaike Carter 31
Javier Carrión 27
Javier De Juan 27
Josh Taylor 20
Lucas Levy 27
Manuel Sainz-Trapaga 25
Marcos Poggi 30
Pablo Fontes 22
Pol Pla 25
Thomas Pearce 27
Pablo Feijoo (Head Coach)
Spain team to the 2016 Summer Olympics

The following is Spain's roster in the men's rugby sevens tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[11]

Head coach: José Ignacio Incháusti

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age*) Events Points Union
1 FW Ignacio Martín (1983-10-15)October 15, 1983 (aged 32) 11 129 Spain Bera Bera
2 FW Matías Tudela (c) (1984-10-06)October 6, 1984 (aged 31) 16 45 Spain Tatami
3 FW Iñaki Villanueva (1991-02-10)February 10, 1991 (aged 25) 2 5 Spain Complutense Cisneros
4 BK Pablo Feijoo (1982-05-18)May 18, 1982 (aged 34) 12 69 Spain Complutense Cisneros
5 BK Ángel López (1992-01-16)January 16, 1992 (aged 24) 13 39 Spain Complutense Cisneros
6 FW Francisco Hernández (1988-10-28)October 28, 1988 (aged 27) 9 82 Spain Complutense Cisneros
7 BK Marcos Poggi (1985-03-08)March 8, 1985 (aged 31) 8 40 Spain Complutense Cisneros
8 BK César Sempere (1984-04-26)April 26, 1984 (aged 32) 4 112 Spain Tatami
9 BK Igor Genua (1988-06-05)June 5, 1988 (aged 28) 5 34 Spain Hernani
10 BK Joan Losada (1992-06-20)June 20, 1992 (aged 24) 1 5 Spain FC Barcelona
11 BK Pol Pla (1993-02-18)February 18, 1993 (aged 23) 0 0 Spain FC Barcelona
12 BK Javier Carrión (1990-11-09)November 9, 1990 (aged 25) 16 67 Spain La Vila
*Ages given as in 2016.
Spain team to the 2014 London Sevens

Squad to
2014 London Sevens:[12]
Player
Adam Newton
Inaki Villanueva
Javier Carrion
Javier de Juan
Matias Tudela
Jacobo Martin
Jaike Carter
Gauthier Minguillon
Francisco Hernandez
Angel Lopez
Glen Lewis Rolls
Pablo Fontes
Spain team to the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens

Squad for
2012 Hong Kong Sevens:[13]
Player Number
Ignacio Martin 1
Carlos Blanco 2
Javier Canosa 3
Pablo Feijóo (c) 4
César Sempere 5
Martín Heredia 6
Pedro Martín 7
Juan Cano 8
Angel Lopez 9
Matías Tudela 10
Ryan Le Roux 11
Marcus Poggi 12

Coach

Pablo Feijoo has served as head coach of the Spain national rugby sevens team since the 2016-17 season. He played in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Russia,[14] and was a member of the squad that defeated Samoa to secure a place in the 2016 Summer Olympics.[15][16][17]

Feijoo replaced Ignacio "Tiki" Inchausti, who played in Spain's only ever appearance at the 1999 fifteens Rugby World Cup, and also played at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2001 in Mar del Plata. Prior to his appointment to the men's team, Inchausti was in charge of Spain's women's squad, whom he managed to qualify for the inaugural participation of women in the tournament in Dubai in 2009. Inchausti coached the Spanish men's men's side from 2010, helping them qualify as a core team in 2012.[18]

2008 Hannover Sevens

Group A matches

  POR GEO ESP GER RUS ROM
Portugal – 26–10 28–5 14–12 45–5 38–0
Georgia – – 28–5 26–0 5–0 12–0
Spain – – – 26–22 7–29 14–0
Germany – – – – 17–12 24–21
Russia – – – – – 19–19
Romania – – – – – –
Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 Portugal 5 5 0 0 151 32 +119 15
 Georgia 5 4 0 1 81 31 +50 13
 Spain 5 2 0 3 57 107 −50 9
 Germany 5 2 0 3 75 99 −24 9
 Russia 5 1 1 3 74 100 −26 8
 Romania 5 0 1 4 31 100 −69 6

See also

References

  1. ^ "About HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series". Worldrugby.org. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  2. ^ IRB.com, Spain Sevens all set for Series challenge[usurped!], 25 September 2012
  3. ^ "Spain upsets Samoa to qualify for Rio 2016". www.blitzbokke.com. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Rio 2016: Spain qualify for Olympic sevens rugby with dramatic win over Samoa". BBC.com. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Spain pip Samoa to Rio 7s spot". Stuff.co.nz. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  6. ^ "2018 - Men 7s Grand Prix Series". RugbyEurope.eu. Rugby Europe. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  7. ^ IRB.com, HSBC Sevens World Series, Statistics[usurped!]
  8. ^ "2011/12 IRB Sevens World Series, Hong Kong: Results - Final". Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Spain Squad". Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Final rosters named for Singapore Sevens". AmericasRugbyNews.com. Americas Rugby News. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Los Leones olimpicos". Federación Española de Rugby. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  12. ^ 2014 London Sevens[usurped!]
  13. ^ "2011/12 IRB Sevens World Series - Hong Kong". WorldRugby.org. World Rugby. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  14. ^ "2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens - Spain 7s". World Rugby.org. June 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Spain keep faith with repechage heroes for Rio". World Rugby.org. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Rio Olympics: Team squads for the 7s". Sky Sports.com. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  17. ^ "FEIJOO Pablo". Rio 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  18. ^ IRB.com, Spain Sevens all set for Series challenge[usurped!], 25 September 2012

External links

National rugby sevens teams
Rugby union in Spain
National sports teams of Spain
Categories