Future bet for ‘Las Leonas’ of Spanish rugby

After being announced last November, the French coach begins this stage with an extensive international career. He arrives after his last experience in Ireland, where he served as Director of Rugby and Head Coach at Bandon Rugby Football Cluband with direct knowledge of Spanish rugby after having coached the men’s XV in a previous stage between 2010 and 2012. His career also includes experience in the French elite, with time on top-level club staffs and a league title in 2019 within the Stade Toulousain coaching staff.

In the sports areaSonnes will rely on Aroa Gonzálezresponsible for defense and scrum. The former international, with more than 70 caps, already joined the Spanish staff in the last World Cup held in England, providing direct experience at the highest level. In addition, she is the player with the most caps in the history of the women’s XV and has consolidated her profile as a coach at the national level, including her time at the helm of the Iberians franchise. Former heel and captain of the national team, she now faces this new role with the aim of transferring that knowledge to the group and contributing to the growth of new generations.

Likewise, the sports management of the Royal Spanish Rugby Federation reinforces the Las Leonas staff with the incorporation of Nicolas Cabannea coach trained in the always demanding French rugby and with a profile clearly oriented towards tactical evolution and unit work. With experience as a scrum-half during his playing days, Cabanne has experience in club structures such as State Tarbes and SA XV Charente, in addition to his most recent work at CMF Floirac.

The technical structure is completed with the arrival of James Kent as assistant coach and technical analyst. Born in London and with a career marked by international rugby, Kent spent time in Spain as a player for Madrid Barbarians RFC before directing his career towards analysis and training. She has worked with the Canadian women’s team in several cycles, including the 2014 World Cup, and later joined the Stade Français as a training structure analyst. Since 2022 he has been the coach of the Luxembourg men’s XV, a position that he makes compatible with this collaboration with Las Leonas

The physical preparation will have as reference to Michael “Koi” Hoggwho will lead this area. Former international with Spain, Hogg trained at Marbella RC and has accumulated several seasons of experience in the Honor Division, with spells at Complutense Cisneros, Barça Rugby or Cajasol Real Ciencias, where he arrived as a forward reinforcement and began working as a physical trainer.

In operational coordination, Monica Castelo She joins as manager after a consolidated career as an international player. With more than 30 caps with Las Leonas and a great career in national rugby and in France, she now joins the staff of the XV women’s team. In the health area, the team will have Héctor Herrero as a nutritionist, while the health section will be covered by Rita Sahún as a doctor and by the physiotherapists.
Javier González and Mar Reché.