Spain are proving to be a burgeoning force in world rugby, writes CHRIS FOY, after Los Leones continued their rise with victory over Tonga Amid football success Spain is proving to be the emerging region in rugby Los Leones defeated a rotated Tonga side to maintain their ongoing momentum Country's under-20s retained their world championship place with Fiji win By Chris Foy Published: 19:42, 21 July 2024 | Updated: 19:42, 21 July 2024 e-mail View comments Forget about Doha, please, all roads should lead to Madrid. Spain may be awash with football mania once more, but it is also primed for lift-off in rugby. Perhaps the most significant result during a busy Test weekend was Spain’s 29-20 win over Tonga in Nuku’alofa.
While the hosts were chronically limited, Los Leones had come close to upsetting Samoa in Apia six days earlier, so there is no doubting that they are on the rise, despite the savage setback of being thrown out of the last World Cup, as excessive punishment for fielding an ineligible player in qualifying. Hours after their momentous victory, Spanish players danced around their hotel after the country’s Under 20s fought back from a 14-0 deficit to beat Fiji and retain their place in the junior global showpiece next year. It was another result which reinforced the sense of momentum and vast potential across the Iberian peninsula – after Portugal’s heroics at the World Cup late last year.
Rugby’s authorities must move heaven and earth to unleash that emerg.