Rodríguez Uribes congratulates the men’s rugby team for their silver in the World Championship

• The president of the Superior Sports Council, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, received this Tuesday the Spanish team, whom he congratulated for the gesture achieved last weekend in Los Angeles.

Madrid, May 6, 2025.- José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, President of the Spanish Higher Sports Council (CSD), received the Spanish men’s rugby team on Tuesday, congratulating them on the silver medal achieved at the HSBC SVNS World Championship.

The second place harvested in Los Angeles marks the best historical performance of the Spanish rugby team in a World Championship. A result that confirms the good course of the Lions, which have also remained third in the general classification of the World Series of Seven.

For these results, the selection led by Paco Hernández received on Tuesday the congratulations of the president of the CSD, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, who highlighted during the meeting the growth and commitment of the group.

“The talent of the players is the basis of everything”, said Rodríguez Uribes, “but to this great feat also contributes the good work of the Royal Spanish Rugby Federation, the technicians and the coaches”.

"The dream season"

In a year, the Spanish team has gone from being tenth in the World Series and fighting for permanence to contesting the World Cup title for South Africa, ultimately champion.

The president of the CSD has also particularly congratulated Pol Pla and Manu Moreno, the two Spanish players who have been included in the ideal team of the season on the world circuit, along with Harry Glover (Great Britain), Luciano González (Argentina), Marcos Moneta (Argentina), Joji Nasova (Fiji) and Paulin Riva (France).

“It was the dream season,” said Pol Pla, who was “proud” to be able to enjoy the best result of Spanish rugby after a long career linked to the Spanish team. “This helps us believe and convince ourselves that we have the level to earn a gold medal and win the World Series. Winning a tournament is what we lack,” he said.

In the same vein, coach Paco Hernández said that “the silver medal is a dream that was a long way away” recently, although he considered it a well-deserved prize for a group of players who have shown themselves to be “regular as a team” and have dared to “break down barriers”.

“At first the goal was permanence, to be among the top eight, but in Perth we realized we had to aim higher,” he explained.

For his part, the president of the Royal Spanish Rugby Federation, Juan Carlos Martín ‘Hansen’, thanked the support of the Superior Sports Council for the successful development of the strategic plans of a sport that “is generating great expectations” in our country.

“This money shows that Spanish rugby has no limits,” said the top federative leader at the reception event held this Tuesday at the headquarters of the CSD.