The Lobas made their debut at this level in 2024 and managed to bag a win against Sweden, hinting they are ready to do much more in this coming Women’s Rugby Europe Championship.
Portugal has left an impressive mark since their XVs programme flourished in 2021, having clinched a couple of big wins against what they would consider more established opponents, showcasing a talented roster. One of their best performers, Sara Moreira, had a sit down with us to reveal what is to be a Loba and where it all began!
“I started playing rugby when I joined the Cardiff Metropolitan University. So, yeah, a bit late. Before that I was a footballer, a sport that I had played since I was four years old. Rugby came into my life at a time when I was not enjoying football, I was feeling a bit lost. The motivation wasn’t there. While in Cardiff Met, a few friends told me to come watch them play in the 7s tournament, and I tagged along. We got there, and they told me that they were missing some players and asked if I wanted to try it out. I said ‘Okay’ and as there was no pressure, I had fun. It clicked at the right time and at the right moment.”
So, was it the tackling, carrying the ball or another area of the game that lured her from thefootball pitch to join the rugby one?
“The contact, for sure. It is something that I still love and that has had a massive impact on me. You’ve got that ball, and you just want to break the line. For me it was great because I always enjoyed having the ball and complementing it with rugby’s physicality was perfect. Of course, making friends and belonging to a community/team was also a big factor for me to stick with the sport. If I didn’t love to have the ball and carrying it as hard as I can, I wouldn’t be a forward, but a winger!”
Moreira played for Portugal national U19 football team as a goalie, having even played for Chelsea. In 2017 she started to make the transition from one sport to the other, but it was only in was only in the latter stages of 2017 that rugby became her only sport.
“July 2018 was when I fully committed to rugby. I had just completed the pre-season with Worcester, which was daunting at first since everything was still new to me. Ironically, I had done the hardest part of the preseason when I was invited by my auntie to go to Luanda, which meant I was going to miss the start of the season. When I came back, I was selected to be on the bench against Bristol Bears at home. It isn’t the easiest game to make a debut, and as I expected it was an intense affair. It seems it happened so long ago, but I can still feel those emotions of making my first game for the club. You are shaking until the moment you step onto the pitch. It was something that I will always treasure.”
The jump was only possible because of the successful BUCS Super Rugby project ran by Cardiff Met, making it easier for Moreira to reach the Premiership Women’s Rugby. And because of the PWR, she was able to represent her country of birth, Portugal.
“I first got involved in 2021. It all started when the Premiership Women’s Rugby was playing a video of a player from each team, and I was the one picked to represent Worcester Warriors. They were interested in my background, as I had played for the Portuguese U19 national football team, etc. That video ended up in the Portugal’s Women’s head coach hands, João Moura, and he proceeded to contact me. He told me about the project, and without giving it a second thought, I said yes. They invited me to a camp, and the rest is history, as they say. It was a privilege to have the chance to fight for a spot in my country’s national team.”
In 2021 the national team hosted more than a handful of camps, before their official debut in 2022 against Belgium for the Rugby Europe Trophy division, an experience she won’t ever forget.
“It is impossible to forget that feeling of playing for your country for the first time.” she says before carrying on “I was so overwhelmed with the occasion. It is always a ‘pinch me’ moment, especially because I only had started playing rugby 4/5 years prior to that game. To be found on the internet, joining some camps and being selected to represent your country was an unreal ride. I cried when the anthem started. I will always be available for my country, as you represent not only yourself but your family, teammates and the young crowd. I just wanted my family to be proud of me, like everyone else, especially those who would like to be in my place.”
Since then, Portugal has made huge strides and subsequently promoted to the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship last season, with the backrower having played two of the three games from the 2024 campaign. With that in mind, can she tell us what was the game she enjoyed the most playing for Portugal?
Spain in 2024. It was our first year on the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship, and to be able to play Spain in their backyard was amazing. They had won the competition 11 times in a row, and they were getting ready for the Wales and WXV3 fixtures. It was going to be a titanic challenge. They are a team that everyone should look up to, as Spain is setting the way and path for nations like us to be able to reach a higher level.”
She continues going down memory lane.
“To play them at home and to put up a performance that no one was expecting, it was spectacular. We tackled, got back to our feet, tackled again, and stopping them from scoring that many points. We lost, yes, but we were able to finish the game with our heads held up high. I got emotional at the end of the game, as it just proved that we were improving even with the small resources we have. We never stopped working, we never gave up and we kept true to our nature as Portuguese internationals.”
With Portugal finishing preparations for another Women’s Rugby Europe Championship, what does the former Worcester Warriors loose forward think about the level of the competition?
“I think that Rugby Europe, with the Women’s Championship and Trophy, are bridging that gap between tier levels. To have these European competitions allows smaller nations like ours to have competitive games every year, which will then push us to progress even more and grow. Without Rugby Europe we would’ve played just one or two games per season, and that doesn’t allow us to punch the ceiling. With the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship installed Portuguese players have something to look up to. The competition has quality, possessing strong teams and setups. It just needs more coverage; it needs to be respected as a valid competition.”
Moreira explains how aiming to something bigger can move countries like Portugal and how this could make their women’s programme explode.
“You start playing rugby and even if you improve every new season, you need a benchmark, something to aim for. The top tier nations have their national setups playing in top competitions, be it the Women’s Six Nations, International tours and the WXV, and we need that as well. We have now with the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship, it keeps us going. When we play for our nation, feeling that crest in our chest it is something that shakes you to your very core. We need these competitions.”
Going back to her club career, Sara Moreira has left England since the Worcester Warriors were shut down and joined the French Élite 2 Rugby Club Toulon Provence Méditerranée. How was the experience to leave her home and embark on a new adventure?
“It was a scary decision, but if you want to grow you have to put yourself in an uncomfortable position. I have been loving my time in Toulon and playing for the club. It is a different way to play rugby, there’s a language barrier as well, and these are the challenge that I desire for myself. I am growing as a player, learning new skills and much more. Toulon is a club that wants to do great things, and we will work for it. Hopefully, we will clinch that promotion to the Élite 1. As a bonus, it is just great to wake up every morning and see a blue sky above your head!”
Looking now to the end of our meeting, how would she try to sell the women’s game to young girls who are looking to give rugby a go?
“Give it an honest try. It will bring so many important things to your life, be it friends, valuable lessons, skills, things that are transferable to your daily life. It doesn’t matter who you are, it is a sport for everyone. Don’t be afraid that’s a contact sport, because you will be taught to do everything correctly. You will enjoy it and have a big smile in your face. Don’t be afraid to reach for the stars, keep breaking barriers!”
And can Sara Moreira choose three words that better explain what it is to be a Loba?
“Pride. Resilient. Representation. That’s how I would breakdown what it is like to play for Portugal. You are representing a passionate community who is proud of what has achieved and that wants more, and who are never going to give up no matter who’s our opposition.”
You can watch Portugal take on Spain in this year’s opening fixture on Saturday at Estadio Municipal do Cartaxo on Rugby Europe TV and on FloRugby in North America, with kick off at 5pm CET (4pm Local).
By Francisco Isaac
Photos by Luis Cabelo & Walter
