Chile’s lemoine Prioritizes Growth Over Victories Ahead of 2027 Rugby World Cup
Chile’s head coach, Pablo Lemoine, has offered a surprisingly pragmatic outlook following the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which pitted his team against rugby powerhouses Australia and new Zealand. While acknowledging the sporting challenge, Lemoine emphasized the broader impact participation in the tournament must have for Chile – focusing on development programs, political influence, and social change.
Speaking from Chile’s Parque mahuida training base in Santiago, Lemoine articulated a vision extending beyond the pitch. “When countries like Chile play in a World Cup you need a general vision,” he stated.”Thinking only of sport it’s fantastic – it’s awesome.But thinking of the real impact Chile needs: development programmes, political impact, social impact … for our fans, it’s much more difficult to find tickets when you play the All Blacks or Australia.”
The logistical hurdles facing the team are already apparent. Situated 1,000 meters above sea level, the training facility struggles with internet connectivity, prompting a search for solutions – including exploring service from Elon Musk’s Starlink. Despite these challenges, Lemoine has successfully guided Chile to a second consecutive Rugby World Cup appearance, following thier debut in France in 2023.
the expanded 2027 format,featuring pools of four teams instead of five,offers a glimmer of hope. Los Cóndores will realistically target a victory against fellow debutants Hong Kong. “We have a chance to win our first [tournament] game,” Lemoine explained.”Hong Kong have the same chance. It will be huge. We will try to qualify for the next stage,but it will be difficult to find bonus points against Australia and New Zealand.our final is Hong Kong.”
Lemoine lauded the new format, which allows four third-placed teams to qualify for the last 16, as a significant step forward for Tier 2 nations.He recalled how, under the previous system, a World Cup tournament was “effectively one game.” Now, the possibility of qualifying with a single win represents “something different, something positive” for emerging rugby nations. A recent hard-fought encounter with Hong Kong, ending in a 22-17 victory for Chile in Talca last year, underscores the competitive nature of that crucial pool match.
While acknowledging the difficulty of securing bonus points against Australia and New zealand, Lemoine believes the revised format will “definitely” influence his team’s approach to those matches. Though, he remains grounded about the prospect of upsetting the established order. “My ambition is not to beat the All Blacks,” he admitted. “In high performance, when you give a message to the players, they have to believe you. Everybody knows the reality against New Zealand or Australia.”
Former Chile coach Mark Cross, a New Zealander, praised Lemoine’s impact since taking the helm in 2018. “Pablo brought a professional outlook, a high-performance outlook,” Cross said.”He’s demanding and knows what he wants.He’s changed the rugby landscape in Chile for ever.”
Lemoine’s own career is a testament to his pioneering spirit. He was the first uruguayan to play professionally in Europe, joining Bristol in 1998 under the guidance of Bob Dwyer. He credits Dwyer with providing the foundational guidance he needed to succeed, emphasizing a simple approach: “run straight with the ball and tackle straight.” Lemoine’s leadership philosophy centers on core values of humility, respect, and ambition, principles he instills in his players. Notably, he never earned a salary during his entire career with Uruguay’s national team.
Despite qualifying for the 2027 tournament by defeating Samoa in a playoff, Lemoine has been vocal about the insufficient funding allocated to Chilean rugby. He expressed dissatisfaction with World Rugby, stating that funding for the high-performance system has remained stagnant for the past three years despite the increased demands of preparing for a World Cup. “I understand there are financial problems for World Rugby but I don’t think it’s right to go against a country that is working hard, in a professional way, as they demand,” he asserted.
Lemoine also raised concerns about the limited opportunities for Tier 2 nations to improve by primarily competing against each other, while also acknowledging broader issues within established rugby nations like Wales. He highlighted the need to expand rugby’s global reach, pointing to the potential in countries like China, India, and Pakistan, and expressing admiration for the vision of former teammate AgustÃn Pichot.
Reflecting on his playing career, Lemoine recalled scoring against England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup – a moment overshadowed by the 111-13 defeat. He fondly remembered a later encounter with England’s Danny Grewcock in a pub, where they shared a pint of beer.
Lemoine’s career embodies the evolving landscape of rugby, yet some traditions endure. His focus, though, remains firmly fixed on leveraging the 2027 World Cup not just as a sporting event, but as a catalyst for broader positive change within Chile.
