Lusitanos vs Iberians: The Opening Fixture
The fourth edition of the Rugby Europe Super Cup kicks-off this weekend with one of the most entertaining rivalries in sport, with the Portuguese Lusitanos hosting their neighbours, the Spanish Castilla y Léon Iberians. To get warmed-up for the Iberian derby, we invite you to join us in a dive into the data pool and learn about the team’s goals from their captain’s.
DATA CENTRE
The Lusitanos and Iberians have played five games since the Super Cup debuted, with the Portuguese edging out with three victories out of five. However, the current momentum is on the Spanish side, as the Iberians have won the last two encounters.
In games between Lusitanos and Iberians, the Portuguese franchise scored a total of 101 points, while the Spanish have tallied 87 points.
Nuno Sousa Guedes, one of the best players from the 2021 and 2022 Super Cup editions, has a knack for scoring points when facing his regional rivals, as the fullback scored a total of 53 points (three tries, seven conversions, and eight penalties). From the Spanish side, Sam Katz has the most points with 22.
From the players selected from the first-ever game between both teams, only five remain: David Costa, José Paiva dos Santos, Pedro Lucas and Diogo Rodrigues from the Lusitanos, and Pablo Rascón from the Iberians.
The Lusitanos highest ranking placement was 2nd when they narrowly lost against the Black Lion in the final, while the Iberians will look to move higher than their previous best, which has been a 4th place finish.
An interesting data point goes to the age average, as both 23 showcase a very young squad: 22.7 for the Portuguese, and 22.3 for the Spanish. A new era for both?
HELLO, THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING
But beyond the data and the geographical rivalry, what value has the Rugby Europe Super Cup brought for rugby in Portugal and Spain? Is it a ladder for greater things?
To find out a bit more we were joined by both franchise captains, Pablo Rascón and Tomás Appleton – the Portuguese skipper won’t be playing due to a minor injury on Saturday. We proposed two questions, and these are their answers.
Pablo, we know the Iberians and Spain are looking to build something special, but what are your team’s goals?
I would say our first goal is to tune our gameplan, level-up our defence, and make it the core of who we are as a team. We are also focused on delivering a high-intensity and fast-paced game.
Tomás, do you share the same opinion as your fellow captain and opposing centre?
For us, It’s the dawn of a new era, as we have more than a few new players joining the team and we will need to adjust, but we are fighting to win every game. With Simon Mannix onboard, I believe all players will push beyond the limit, so they can be picked for the Test Match scene.
Pablo, do you think the Super Cup and the Iberians plays a vital role for your country’s future in the sport?
The Iberians is vital for us to give a steppingstone to our young local talent, as they are the future of the Spanish national team. The Iberians franchise allows us to play more challenging games and prepare players for the Test Match windows.
Tomás, having played in the men’s World Cup, what do you think about the importance of the competition to you and your teammates?
Our national team needs the Lusitanos, as the core base from the Lobos comes from the franchise. Of course, winning all games is always a goal for us, but the main focus of our franchise is to ready players for the next step, which is the national side.
MATCH PREVIEW
Both teams have prepared more than a few surprises in store for their fans.
The Lusitanos brought in Hugo Camacho and Hugo Aubry to help them in this first match, with both playmakers loaned by the Pro D2 AS Béziers-Hérault. The brace scorer against the Springboks, José Paiva dos Santos, is also in, as well as David Costa, a top dog when talking about scrummaging and off-the-ball work.
As for the Iberians, the impressive Gonzalo Otamendi is in the mix and will surely pull up some of the tricks that saw him collect the plaudits for the 2024 Men’s World Rugby Championship campaign.
Spanish internationals Alex Sáleta, Marc Sánchez, Vincente del Hoyo, and Pau Aira have all been called by Juan Carlos Pérez for the opening game of the 2024 Super Cup.
You will be able to watch the game live on Rugby Europe TV and also on the Rugby Europe YouTube Channel with the game kicking off at 7pm CET (6pm local time).
By Francisco Isaac
