RWC 2027 Draw - URU reaction (Ambrosio, Leindekar) - RWC 2027 Draw
Rodolfo Ambrosio, head coach
On Pool D, where they will face Ireland, Scotland, and Portugal:
“We were unlucky because the only two teams you didn't want to play against were Portugal and Samoa, as they were the toughest in Pot 4. It will be very difficult to win the match against Portugal and get a bonus point. The other teams were luckier.”
“Ireland and Scotland are getting further and further ahead. Between now and the Rugby World Cup, they will play in the Six Nations twice, and the Nations Cup. It's a very different competition than the one we'll have.”
“Ireland is one of the best teams in the world right now. They've been doing very well in recent years and we are aiming high, hoping to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
“We saw Scotland against Argentina, where they practically had the match won, but Los Pumas turned it around in the second half. They are a team and with more competition ahead they will continue improving.”
“My memories of Portugal at the 2023 Rugby World Cup are vivid, when they beat Fiji and came very close to defeating Australia. For 2027, they'll have all their best players and will be a strong team.”
On Los Teros' season that has just finished:
“It was a very tough year, with the qualifiers to the Rugby World Cup. Players and staff put many things aside to be with the team and made a big sacrifice."
"It was great to finish winning two matches in Europe, that allowed us to finish in 14th place in the rankings.”
On what happens now that the draw is finished.
“One chapter has closed, and we have to get to work for what's next and prepare to fight. The Uruguayan players are always motivated, eager and do things well. We have to get to work.
“When 2026 begins, we're going to start expanding to have the largest possible pool of players to choose from.
“We always work to achieve the best possible result. After that, there are many obstacles to overcome, and we have to focus on putting Uruguayan rugby at the top.”
On the new Rugby World Cup format:
“It’s a great move for the future of rugby that the World Cup is becoming increasingly inclusive, that more countries can participate, and that this will encourage more people to play rugby.”
Regarding preparations for Rugby World Cup 2027:
“Besides the Nations Cup, we’ve officially received a proposal from Australia when the Wallabies play two tests against Los Pumas in 2026. They want to bring a second team to play against us and Chile. That would be in September, and we won’t have our players from Europe, so it would be a Uruguay XV v Australia XV match. And in 2027, perhaps we can face Los Pumas before the Rugby World Cup.”
On how he plans to expand the player base:
“Work never begins and never ends. It is about many years of work by clubs with players and the high-performance system. We have many players abroad, players in Peñarol [playing Super Rugby Americas] and in the Sevens team, which is a great development program.”
“We have to be on the lookout to identify players early on who could join Los Teros. We have a year and a half in front of us, and the most difficult work is now, in December, January, and February, when we’ll review a list of players who could be part of the World Cup process and determine if they are willing to make the sacrifice to prepare for it."
Manuel Leindekar, captain
On Pool D, where they will face Ireland, Scotland, and Portugal:
“We haven't had much luck, although any group in a World Cup is tough. It's up to us to prepare as best we can and dream of qualifying for the Round of 16, which is a very important opportunity for us. We have to work towards that goal.”
“Ireland is a very tough team that will be fighting for top spots in the World Cup and is a contender to win it. Scotland plays in the Six Nations and will have a lot of competition in the coming years. We were lucky enough to play against them in Montevideo, but they didn't have all their starters, so it will be a completely different match.”
“We played against Portugal last month. It's not the same team as the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but they have French players that will turn them into a good team when the World Cup arrives. They are very competitive and will challenge us.”
On what Los Teros need to do in their preparation for Rugby World Cup 2027:
“We know what we need to improve to be competitive with tier 1 teams. Given how the competition has been structured for the coming years, we know we'll have to prepare in the best way possible because we won't be playing against the top teams, and the gap will widen. The focus has to be on improving physically and technically to be able to compete at the highest level.”
On whether the goals for Rugby World Cup 2027 have changed now that they know their opponents:
“The goals don't change. We know it's a tough group and that there were other options, some a little better and some a little worse, but World Cup groups are always going to be difficult.”
On the format of Rugby World Cup 2027:
“It's interesting; I don't know if it's better or worse because we have to play in it. It provides an opportunity, and the clear objective is to qualify for the Round of 16. The format is good; we'll have to see what the results are.”
