World Cup mastermind rejoins Argentina coaching team

SPOTLIGHT: The Argentine Rugby Union have confirmed that Marcelo Loffreda is leaving his position as Buenos Aires Rugby Union Game Director, to take over as the new sports manager for the Los Pumas.

It will be a full-time contract until December 2023.

The former Los Pumas head coach from 2000 to 2007, Loffreda masterminded the team’s 2007 World Cup run that saw the South American’s finish in third place. He went on to take charge at Leicester Tigers the following year.

Loffreda was also a player of Los Pumas (#339) between 1978 and 1994, claiming 46 caps.

Among his main functions, Loffreda will comprehensively assist the Head Coach of Los Pumas, mainly in those matters related to communication, logistics, interpersonal relations between staff members and all team players.

He will also work directly with the other UAR national teams, seeking to generate team culture under the same guidelines and promoting synergy with the Rugby 2030 program.

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Mario Ledesma – Head Coach of Los Pumas, said: “We are very happy with the arrival of Marcelo [Loffreda] to join the staff for the upcoming challenges.

"We believe it will contribute a lot from the symbolic aspect of what it means to wear the National Team jersey. He is a great transmitter of culture and what represents the great history of the most important that we have in this sport, which are Los Pumas.”

Marcelo Loffreda said: “I thank Mario [Ledesma], the staff and the UAR authorities for the proposal to accompany the Los Pumas team at this new stage. On the one hand, it is a pride and an immense joy to be close again and collaborate in caring for what this shirt represents, and on the other, an enormous responsibility for the history that precedes it. I hope I can help in that, as we often say, this shirt can be left even higher than what we found it ”.

“I have complete confidence in those who lead the team, in fact, I know them and have trained them all and I already have great confidence in the excellent players who make up the squad. I am very happy that Mario has summoned me and considers that from this new role he can contribute what we all think and aspire to, which is that Los Pumas play better and better ”.

“Finally, to tell you that I will try to continue the good work done by those who came before me (José Santamarina and Chalo Longo), which is fundamentally to transmit with special dedication the culture and sense of identity that it means to wear the Los Pumas shirt.”

“I also want to thank the entire URBA, President, Secretary, Council and workforce. There have been several years in which, thanks to the support of all, we were able to develop and organize various projects, from training, dissemination, as well as in the different areas of the Game, autonomously and very successfully. I have no doubt that continuity will be maintained with the excellent team that I have had to lead.”