Is this World Cup story changing face of old-fashioned Spanish sporting customs?
BRENDAN GALLAGHER takes a look at the latest European nation to make their mark in rugby
SO, suddenly Spain look odds-on to qualify for RWC2019 in Japan, although readers of The
Rugby Paper will possibly not be that surprised as we have been carefully monitoring their rise in recent seasons.
Spain probably now rank second only to Georgia as a rugby nation worth investing in, not so much on performances per se although they are improving steadily, but in sheer potential should all the component parts ever be harnessed fully.
A convincing 22-10 win over a full strength Romania at Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense last Sunday lunchtime in Madrid, off the back of a famous away win against Russia in Krasnodar, leaves them needing nine points in their final two qualifying games next month. In short they need one bonus point win and a straight forward win by any score – which they should be well capable of at home to Germany on March 11 and away to Belgium the following week.
Do that and Japan beckons where they would find themselves in Pool A with Ireland, Scotland, Japan and the winner of the play-off which at this stage looks like either Samoa or old rivals Romania. What’s more, if they can qualify they will also have the honour and worldwide exposure of playing in the tournament’s opening game against hosts Japan.
So a huge couple of weeks awaits for Spain. And that task could be even more straightforward if Russia catch Romania on another bad day at Cluj this Saturday when the Oaks will be looking to bounce back from an untypically poor performance against the Spanish after they themselves have been showing signs of steady improvement.
Romania should win but Russia are a decent side and Spain’s win over the Romanians means Russia, too, are still in the hunt for a runners-up spot in the World Cup qualifying pool which would see them advance to a European play-off place against Portugal with a shot at reaching the repechage in November.
Spain, meanwhile, have something of a dilemma this coming weekend. Their match is against Georgia away in Tbilisi and ordinarily, building on the momentum they have built up over the last couple of weeks, they would fancy a pop at the perennial REC winners.
If they pulled off a shock win against the Lelos a rare REC title would result, but with Georgia pre-qualified for RWC2019, none of the matches against the Lelos count for anything in qualification this season and Los Leones really do have to be ruthless and think totally of the Germany and Belgium games that follow.
They cannot afford to get distracted. The result in Tbilisi will soon be just another rugby game, but if they can qualify for only their second World Cup it could be lift-off time for Spanish rugby.
The strong likelihood is that Spain will rest at least half a dozen of their key players, maybe even more, and really test their strength in depth. Actually that suits the dynamic of their squad perfectly with the vast majority of their players being professionals in France, most in Pro D2 but with a couple in the T14 and another handful in Federale 1.
The French connection is key but Spain have to strike a fine balance. In theory they could point to the World Rugby regulations and ‘demand’ the release of players from their clubs for the entirety of the February-March window, as indeed they can for the November window as well.
Below Top 14 level, however, if you do that you run the risk of annoying clubs who – with much smaller squads and budgets than their T14 colleagues – might decide in future not to employ a Spanish international who more likely than not could miss two or three months of the season at key stages. The bottom line is that Spain need those players good enough to secure a contract somewhere in France to be in gainful employment and playing as much as possible.
Former France full-back Jean Michel Aguirre, a Basque from just over the border in Tostat and a stalwart with Bagneres who have always had a Spanish tinge to their line-ups, has been helping Spain with this for a couple of years now.
Fluent in French and Spanish he has been tasked with keeping in close contact with all the French clubs employing Spanish players to act as a liaison with them, trying to broker little deals whereby the availability of key Spain players can be guaranteed for their really big international games in return for Spain backing off on other weekends and allowing the players to stay with their clubs. So far it has been working well but it’s an evolving relationship and will be severely tested if Spain continue to
“Los Leones really do have to be ruthless and think totally of Germany and Belgium games”
nudge their way up the world rankings.
Over the coming weeks, however, it should work very nicely indeed. Straight after the game against Romania – well three beers, a communal paella and a heartfelt singsong later – most of the French contingent were heading for Madrid airport to ensure they were back training with their clubs on the Monday morning and available both this weekend and next weekend when they will be spared the trip to Tbilisi.
Then having shown willing with their employers the players can absent themselves for another fortnight for the Germany and Belgium games. That the way it works.
“Touch wood the schedule will work out very nicely for us on this occasion,” says Keith Chapman long-time board member of the Spanish Federation. “So far it’s been the perfect storm for us this season but we are taking nothing for granted having put ourselves in a such a strong position.
“It was very noticeable after the Romania games that back in the changing room and the bar before they headed off there was a realisation that there is still an important job to be done. Most of these guys work really hard to make a modest living out of the game away from the limelight, believe me they know exactly what an opportunity has presented itself after all the hard work they have been putting in.
“They know that we are not on the plane to Japan yet,
“Slip-ups do happen in Test rugby, especially at this level. We ourselves have won a few games in the past when we were rank outsiders and had nothing to lose. So we will be paying Germany and Belgium ultimate respect and looking to get our very strongest team on the field. We will be treating both games like World Cup finals.”
As a stalwart board member, Chapman is also acutely aware of the fleeting window that is now opening for Spain to sell the game to a wider sporting public in a sports-mad country. The Spanish Federation are determined not to miss out while the double header of European finals in Bilbao in May will offer another opportunity to fly the rugby flag.
“Don’t underestimate how big an occasion last week was for us, everything worked out which rarely happens in sport or life. The weather
was perfect and the Spanish media and TV – who we have been trying to get onside – had a fine game to enjoy, the ‘right’ result and a great occasion to report in front of a packed house which for us is 15,000.
“There was no controversy or unsavoury incidents to hijack the headlines, the story was Spanish Rugby pure and simple and the quest for a World Cup spot and even the big football-dominated papers gave us great coverage. Everything fell into place, it was high profile day for Spanish rugby and now we have another gala occasion against Germany which we must promote in the right way.
“We made a good decision against Romania to change our kick off from 4pm on a Saturday to 12.30pm on a Sunday, which might sound very odd to the British way of thinking but in Spain the big day out is always revolves around lunch arrangements and you have to take that into account.
“Lunch starts at about 3pm and runs through the afternoon before you head off for some activity or a big football or basketball game that night before reconvening for dinner very late at night. We were putting fans and potential supporters in a dilemma with our Saturday afternoon kick-offs. Sunday noonish works much better.
“Go to the match, couple of beers, game over by 2.30, sit down for a long lunch just after 3pm and then off into the evening or to watch the big game on the TV. Rugby in Spain has to ‘fit in’ there is no point trying to fight the existing culture.”
Chapman and the Spanish Federation are too busy with the immediate short term challanges to get too diverted by the bigger question of the ‘future of Spanish Rugby’ but they have been irritated by one or two mutterings about how their success thus far has all been down to their French players and the experience and nous they have brought to proceedings.
“Let’s make one thing clear every single French-based player was either born in Spain or has Spanish parents or in one or two instances Spanish grandparents. All are supremely well qualified, and we are only dong what every nation in the world does. Georgia rely heavily on their French-based contingent – when was the last time they fielded a pack containing a player not based in France? And that is how the Pumas also came to prominence before they were finally able to base a professional Super Rugby franchise at home.
“We have some really talented youngsters, the majority of whom we try to place with a French club”
Scotland have a large number of Scots born overseas, Australia and New Zealand use their connections with the Pacific islands.
“We haven’t got ‘project’ players as such like some of the biggest nations in Europe. We haven’t got the resources. We haven’t gone out and ‘recruited’ six or seven young Kiwis and lure them to Spain on a semi-pro contract with one of our clubs or the promise of some barwork and free accommodation and then capped them at the first opportunity. We don’t go trawling Argentina for talented young players although some come of their own volition to visit family or to visit the ‘old country’ and we have picked up a couple of squad players that way.
“We haven’t got a professional club scene although, of course, we are thinking all the time how we can expand our domestic game. We have some really talented young players, the majority of whom at present we try and place with a French club for experience. We have a quite exceptional young wing in 18-yearold Samuel Ezeala who is with Clermont although unfortunately he picked up a nasty concussion when he made his debut against Racing recently.
“No, our one priceless resource at present is the considerable number of eminently qualified Catalans and Basque rugby players just over the border in France. Until recently we haven’t really been able to offer them anything that would tempt them to either give up their aspirations of playing for France or, a little further down the ladder, convince them that its worthwhile having an awkward conversation with their club about disappearing occasionally to play for Spain.
“Bit by bit though we have changed that and now there is a World Cup place up for grabs. That could be a game changer for us. This current group are very hungry, and the snowball is just beginning to pick up pace. Now for the first time we have French-based Spain qualified players approaching us rather than us having to talent spot and chase them up.”
The level of those beginning to inquire is going up. Other than those who made it clear from the start that they want to play for Spain like Charlie Malie and Mathieu Bellie – both former France U20 caps – Spain have thus far deliberately avoided irritating T14 clubs with approaches to their players and in particular putting young France hopefuls with them on the spot.
But recently some pretty established T14 players are beginning to pick up the phone to Madrid to enquire how they go about playing for Spain and that process will only accelerate if the Spaniards can seal the World Cup deal.