MADRID, 27 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish Rugby Federation (FER) and Santiago Santos from Madrid have decided this Thursday, by mutual agreement, the departure of the Madrid coach from the bench of the XV men’s rugby team, and he will be replaced by Miguel Velasco from Valladolid, as announced by the entity it’s a statement.
After 10 years in charge of the ‘Lions’, Santos played on March 19, 2023, in Badajoz, his last game in charge of Spain, in which they lost (31-25) to Romania, finishing in fourth place in Rugby European Championship 2023.
He has led the national team in 9 European Championships, with 87 international matches behind him between the senior and lower categories. Spain achieved its best historical position in the World Rugby ranking (15th) under his command, and managed to qualify the ‘Lions’ for two World Cups that they did not play in the end due to separate sanctions. In addition, Santos is the coach with the highest number of victories (46) in the history of the team.
For all this, the board of directors thanked the coach for “his work and dedication” in the last decade, before wishing him luck in his future projects, in which they do not rule out “working together.” “He is part of our history and has led to the highest historical classification of Spain in the World Rugby ranking, realizing the importance of him for Spanish rugby”, valued the president of the FER, Juan Carlos Martín ‘Hansen’ .
The FER also announced Miguel Velasco as his successor on the ‘Leones’ bench. Known as ‘Miguelón’, the man from Valladolid will take charge of the National Team “while the Federation’s sports management works on the incorporation of a new ‘staff’ for the men’s XV team”.