The Lobos, the fierce and eccentric group of players who have stolen the Rugby Europe show more than once and are ready to do it again in 2025.
The Lobos, the team where the likes of Raffaele Storti, José Madeira, Simão Bento, Tomás Appleton, and Diogo Hasse Ferreira, call home or, better, the wolfpack.
But are they ready to storm the Rugby Europe world once more? Fan favourite Nicolás Martins shared some thoughts about that subject and much more,
“I can’t say we are 100% ready, as I don’t want to sound too confident, but that is our goal. We want to be in the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and I hope we can qualify directly for it, as the last time we had to go through a very stressful repechage tournament played in Dubai. We will do our best to deliver that goal to our fans!”
Portugal has qualified for two of the last Men’s Rugby Europe Championship finals but wasn’t able to topple the Lelos, the most dominant side in Rugby Europe history. Can they do it in 2025?
“You never play a competition to lose it or to not win. We have the guys to win it, but we have also to respect the other contestants, especially the champions, Georgia. They are a powerful team, with a superb mindset. However, we will play to win, no matter who’s on the other side.”
So, what have Portugal to do to finally win again the REC?
“What do we have to do to win the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship? Win the final. That’s all, nothing else. We have to play our best, stick to the plan, smash when we have to smash, run the ball when we have to run the ball. To win the trophy we must be the best team.”
The Lobos have built a reputation as an all-or-nothing team, always pushing to create something special out of nothing and shocking fans and opposite players alike, an opinion shared by Martins himself,
“That’s our DNA, to play with the ball in our hands and do crazy stuff. The Portuguese game is to take risks… calculated ones! Yes, sometimes our brains malfunction, but we try to make the best of every opportunity. But yes, for me that’s the biggest difference between us and the other teams, the craziness with the ball!”
Martins goes on, breaking down the mould of the Portuguese rugby player,
“The Portuguese rugby player isn’t massive and doesn’t possess a hulking build, but we have something special: mindset. We work twice as hard; we don’t give up and when we tackle, we do it to take down any ball carrier. That’s how we like to work.”
Portugal will face Belgium, Germany and Romania in the Men’s REC pool B, with the Diables Noirs being the first hurdle in the way to a World Cup qualification, Martins explains what they must do to achieve that goal,
“It will be our first match since November, so we must do everything well. We have to stick to the plan, so we can do some crazy stuff afterwards. Step by step.”
The feats and exploits done in the 2023 Men’s Rugby World Cup became known all around the world, with the Lobos becoming one of the most beloved teams in the oval ball universe. But has the Portuguese player/team become more respected?
“They know us now. I’m not saying that the rugby fan/player knew nothing about Portugal before the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but after that tournament, we are more respected. They see us as great rugby players, capable of going the extra mile or creating something unexpectedly crazy.”
Now… did Nicolás Martins dream of representing the Lobos when he was a youngster?
“Oh, difficult question, but I have to say yes. I remember talking to my grandfather and saying to him that I would become a good rugby player and get called to play for Portugal. He was a proud Portuguese citizen from Castelo Branco, who always loved his city and country of birth. In some ways, my mindset of wanting to always be the best version of myself and work hard was because of him.”
The Portuguese national anthem The Portuguesa, was virilized in the rugby community since the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and Martins tells his story with it,
“The first time I heard the Portuguese national anthem live was in a game between Portugal and Brazil, played in the CAR Jamor. Patrice Lagisquet brought me in to work with the team, but I wasn’t called for the games. I remember studying the anthem, learning how to pronounce the words, etc. Of course, I remember watching the Portuguese national anthem when the football team played, as I watched them with my grandfather, but to sing it live is completely different. My first time was against Georgia in 2022. I remember feeling just the happiness of being part of the team. My grandfather had already passed away, but I wanted to prove to him and my family that I would do the best I could.”
Martins has earned 19 caps since his debut in 2022, becoming a fierce enforcer and a prolific jackler. Can he share the secrets for that specific ability?
“There’s no secret to it. I just want to help my team, and if I can do that by jackaling the ball, even if I have to withstand heavy pressure from the opposing side, I will. But the best advice I can give is… timings. To snatch a good turnover you have to lock in the right timing!”
Although he is an enforcer, as it is clear by his 150 tackles in the last two Men’s REC combined, Martins' real love lies elsewhere…
“I like to have the ball in my possession. I love to defend, tackle, and jackal, but it is when I have the ball with me that I am most happy. There are bigger guys than me, but I can move quicker and better, I can do some things they can’t do, etc. So, yeah, I am part of that Portuguese craziness brigade.”
The loose forward has developed immensely in the last five years, going from a Féderale 1 to a Top 14-level player. Having already played four times for Montpellier; we asked what the biggest difference between the two top levels of club rugby in France is.
“The level is a bit different between the Top 14 and the Pro D2. The guys in the Top 14 are always pushing, working harder, become even more resilient. Everyone is trying to be the best.”
Now, for his favourite games. We challenged him to pick his two favourites,
“Murrayfield was my favourite game, aside from the World Cup ones. More than 60000 people in the stands, a perfect stadium, a great team, etc. But I would say that the first game I played with my brother is at the same level. It was special for me to play right beside him, and it was even more special as we both scored tries in that match against Romania.”
The Martins brotherly combo ended up resulting in two tries and two try assists, helping Portugal to win in Bucharest for the first time since 2009, in what was a special moment for the Martins household,
“My family was so proud of us. My mother told me she cried a bit. It was such a special moment when he scored, and I jumped on him!”
Between Lucas and Nicolás, who works the hardest… and who’s the craziest?
“Oh, for now, I am the one who works the hardest. But I am older, so in four years, he can overtake me! As for the craziest… But maybe me, again. We are both pretty crazy, but sometimes I do some unscripted things, like that kick against Georgia in 2023. It was not a great kick; I have to be honest.”
To finish up the interview, we asked Nicolás Martins to pick his top 3 Portuguese foods or dishes,
“Tosta mista (grilled cheese and ham in white sliced bread), frango no churrasco (charcoal grilled chicken with a traditional sauce) and bacalhau à brás (it is a typical cod dish done with French fries).”
The most beautiful ground?
“Estádio do Restelo is a beautiful pitch that you should come and enjoy it. When the stands are packed, it is a marvellous thing to behold.”
The words he likes the most to say when he is in Portugal?
“Tudo fixe?” [it means ‘All cool?’]
And what he would say to a young Nicolás Martins?
“I would say to him: keep following your dream, keep pushing. If you make the effort, you will get there.”
This season every match of the the Portugal men's team will be SportTV in the country and available on Rugby Europe TV for the rest of the world.
Portugal kick off their Rugby Europe Championship campaign against Belgium, where the Os Lobos will be looking for revenge following last season’s defeat in Mons.
By Francisco Isaac
