Spanish Rugby President Juan Carlos Martín

For Women´s Rugby in Spain “There´s no way back, it´s going to explode” says Spanish Rugby President

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No way back – Spanish Women´s Rugby ready to ´explode´

 

As the Women´s Rugby World Cup continues, many tuned in to watch a Spanish side give a strong account of themselves against World Champions and full time New Zealand. Although it ended in defeat, this won´t shake the positive vision the Spanish Rugby President, Juan Carlos Martín ‘Hansen’,  has for the Women´s game in Spain.

In an exclusive English interview on the Senior Huevo podcast, Hansen outlined that the preperation that the Spanish Women´s team have had this year is “the best ever” having played against South Africa , Japan and England. Part of the change has also meant that the Spanish Women´s team are “concentrating (meeting) in the same way as men, for a number of months as a team. Many years ago it was only three weeks , that´s not happening anymore. We are having more resources and support than ever.”

 

“It was unfair to have Spain´s Women out of the Six Nations”

 

Although there is optimism for the growth of Women´s Rugby in Spain, challenges remain. “Even with all we are doing , we are far away (from England).” The pre-tournament game of England demolishing Spain being a clear sign of the gulf in resources and levels currently. Part of this is that according to Hansen “The base (of players) is very limited”  but emerging pathways for the Spanish Women´s team have been created “not to just rely on clubs.”

 

However, some of this is outside the control of the Federation and with so many other sports competing for players Spanish Rugby finds itself in the unenviable postion of telling its female players that no matter how good they get, they are effectively barred from the biggest tournaments by a Six Nations Cartel which bans them from entering. This had left them  to win the second tier comp eight years in a row but without the hard games needed to improve and crucially draw interest.

 

“Spain was doing a good job of playing in the Women´s Six Nations and was taken out because of the strategy to align the competions” Hansen states but when asked if this was an example of cartel behaviour he answers “it probably was unfair to have Spain´s Women out of the Six Nations, the same way that Spanish Rugby has been maltreated in the last thirty years.”

“We can compete”

 

Although the challenges for Women´s Rugby due to the cartel can seem insurmountable, Hansen insists that “we can compete with Japan, with South Africa.”  Spain´s final group stage game against Japan offers us a perfect opportunity to see just how far Spanish Women´s Rugby has come. Before that, a game against Ireland awaits but whatever the results, hopefully Spanish Women´s Rugby and the game as a whole is moving in the right direction.

 

The full exclusive interview with the President of Spanish Rugby can be heard below

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