The next August 26, 2023 will be held at the stadium Civitas Metropolitano de Madrid the second edition of ‘The Match’, a match that will pit the Spanish Rugby Team, Los Leones, against Argentina. The meeting will be the official centenary event of the Spanish Rugby Federation and will also serve as preparation for Los Pumas, who will participate from September 8 to October 28 in the 2023 World Cup in France.
This great sporting event represents a new edition of The Match, a proposal for the best rugby that premiered on May 21 at the Metropolitano stadium, where the Spanish rugby team faced the Classic All Blacks in front of 40,000 spectators. This match also became a tribute to Los Leones after their great season and in 2023 it will serve to showcase the new talents that have taken center stage after the generational change that is taking place in the National Team.
For the second edition of “The Match” Kiwi House has opted for the presence of one of the candidates for the title in the World Cup, the Argentine Pumas, a team that comes from winning the mythical All Blacks on New Zealand soil during the Rugby Championship, and to defeat England in their hometown of Twickenham during the last autumn window. The signing of Australian Michael Cheika as coach of the Pumas has caused Argentina to rise to eighth position in the World Rugby world ranking with 80.72 points. The chosen date, August 26, coincides with the last on which World Rugby allows preparation friendlies to be played before the World Cup. Tickets will be on sale at thematchrugby.com.
For the president of the Spanish Rugby Federation, Juan Carlos Martín “Hansen”, the agreement “will undoubtedly help to strengthen relations between the FER and the UAR. It is also the first step in the new strategic line that we want to promote, in which the focus on optimizing our events will mean new avenues of income and the explosion of rugby at a national level coinciding with the centenary anniversary. We are convinced that the Civitas Metropolitano will be very successful and will lay the foundations to put Los Leones and Spain at the forefront of international rugby”, he indicated.
Gabriel Travaglini, president of the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), stated the following: “The first contact Los Pumas had with Spanish rugby was 40 years ago, and it is a real pleasure to be able to play a test-match again with the Spanish national team, and also participate in the celebration of the Centenary of the Spanish Federation. Since that match in Madrid in 1982, in which an even game was observed between both teams, an excellent relationship began between both nations, and many Argentine players have even gone to Spain to continue playing rugby. This year we will face Los Leones again in a friendly that has transcendent value, because it will help us improve our performance in the hours before competing in the World Cup in France”, commented the Argentine coach.
For her part, the Kiwi House CEO, Mirella Ruiz, considers that the commitment to generate interest and entertainment through top-level rugby that is being carried out by the Federation is essential to grow the hobby and practice of this sport. “We have the best possibilities, the best facilities, the best public and the greatest enthusiasm for making these events an international benchmark, something for which Kiwi House has been fighting since its creation”, he concluded.
Agreement with the Spanish Rugby Federation
The Spanish Rugby Federation has closed a agreement with the company Kiwi House for the celebration of ‘The Match’ the next two years, 2023 and 2024, with a possible extension of one more season. The tournament will serve as an opportunity for the Spanish National Team to face Tier 1 rivals. This agreement reinforces the company’s commitment to make Spanish rugby grow sportingly and structurally, offering this type of great event to its fans.