Ex-Portugal boss Patrice Lagisquet to work for European rivals

Romania has received a massive upgrade to their backroom staff, as former Portugal head coach Patrice Lagisquet has joined the union as a consultant for the next couple of weeks, with the possibility of extending his stay.

The three-time Top 14 winner and former Les Bleus international, has taken time off from coaching since Portugal’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign ended, with a handful of rumours circulating for the past five months.

In December 2023 Romania signed David Gérard as their new head coach and selector for the Rugby Europe Super Cup franchise, the Romanian Wolves, with the former Northampton Saints and Racing 92 lock making significant changes to his staff.

Both Frenchmen have built a relationship and have been in close contact, and in 2023 Patrice Lagisquet invited David Gérard to work with the Lobos in their famous World Cup saga, with the roles now inverting for the foreseeable future.

In a recent interview for RugbyPass, Lagisquet revealed that Gérard had welcomed his fellow countrymen to join him in Romania when he signed with the union, but Lagisquet ultimately refused the invitation.

Lagisquet’s consultancy job has already started working closely with the Romanian Wolves to prepare the franchise for their first game in the 2024 Rugby Europe Super Cup. The Romania Union's official Twitter account posted the following: “The Romanian Wolves welcomed a special guest this week, Patrice Lagisquet. Working as a consultant, Lagisquet has already started working with the team, joining head coach David Gérard. Both have previously worked for the Portuguese rugby union.”

Romania will play in the same pool as Portugal in the upcoming Men’s Rugby Europe Championship 2025, with the first two spots granting a direct qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

The Wolves first game is scheduled for Sunday when they will travel to the Czech Republic to face the Bohemia Rugby Warriors.