Hands On! with Joaquín Prada

Uruguay’s preparation for the Rugby World Cup is approaching the final stages. Los Teros are currently training hard in Montevideo ahead of playing their farewell match against neighboring Argentina before leaving South America. The country’s path to the World Cup has been fascinating as well as enlightening. To better understand recent events and what lies ahead Americas Rugby News spoke with centre Joaquín Prada.

Uruguay is playing a lot more now than in previous years. How important is the World Cup qualifying?

Luckily in recent years we have had increased competition, in part because of the World Cup qualifiers which were five matches and all of which were at a high level for us. In 2015 with the objective to prepare as well as possible we have had many matches of note at home, such as the series against the Fiji Warriors in May.

World Cup qualification is fundamental for the growth of rugby in our country, and for the consolidation of the High Performance Center installed at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. World Cup preparation generates discussion in the local press, which means rugby gains popularity and we hope that in the coming years the number and level of players will grow.

How do you feel about the recent Tbilisi Cup?

The Tbilisi Cup is a championship in which we play annually in the month of June, and we take it very seriously because it is an instance in which we can measure ourselves against Tier 2 rivals and teams such as Emerging Ireland. Personally I like playing against rivals like Ireland because of the excellent backs that they have, I also learn from these matches.

This year we went to the tournament very well prepared and with the objectives of growing as a team and winning at least one match, which was against Georgia, a match in which we committed 18 penalties and we also let the opportunity pass against Italy, where we had poor control and committed many  infringements. In any event I believe that the tournament is more than positive and that we have improved.

Could you describe rugby in Uruguay before and after qualifying – 12 years of waiting?

I think that the most important thing is that qualifying was a huge boost for Uruguayan rugby, where the international policy and test team was shelved during these years of bad results. Now that we have returned to the World Cup more people come to see the test side, come to the stadium to encourage and support us increasingly more. And it is something very motivational for the children, dreaming about a World Cup for Uruguay.

How is the competition for places in Los Teros?

Today we are a group of 40 players involved in the final stage of preparation. This seems to me to be a strong point of the group, there is a lot of competition between ourselves but it is healthy competition that helps us to grow. We are all fighting for the same objective that is to be on the player roster for the World Cup.

The majority of Los Teros are based in Uruguay. Are you and your teammates thinking about the possibility of playing professional rugby after the World Cup?

Everyone thinks about this, it would be something very enriching for Uruguay to have the majority of players as professionals. But we know that it is not easy to achieve, it is not going to be easy to impress in the World Cup.

Your mid-field combination with Alberto Román is very noteworthy. Can we expect to see you starting together in the World Cup?

It is true that we were the players with the most continuity both last year and this year, but at this stage of preparation other centres have recovered from injures, namely Pedro Deal and Andrés Vilaseca who played against the USA in the qualifiers at 12. It is going to depend on the preparation and performance of everyone who will make the squad, I feel that nobody is assured.

Are the starters confirmed or can we expect changes from the team that faced Russia in 2014?

I feel that the coaches are going to select the 15 best players that there are at the time. Surely some will be retained but others no.

What are your goals as a player at the World Cup?

Being in the World Cup squad my goal is to play in the opening fixture against Wales at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. With respect to the performance my objective is to compete equally with the centres and backs of the elite level who exist in all the teams in the pool.

And what are the team’s goals in general?

We are a test side which is ranked 21st in the World Rankings, we are going to play against four vamos a jugar contra 4 powers in global rugby, our objective is to play as equals in all matches. We hope that the participation in the World Cup will leave a lot for Uruguayan rugby to grow in the following years.

Do you therefore have goals for the individual games – Wales, Australia, Fiji and England?

We are focused on preparing as well as possible and we have’t spoken about the individual objectives of the individual matches. I believe that during the coming months the coaches are going to be giving us more information.

And after the Rugby World Cup. Have you been thinking about the Americas Six Nations?

I have heard a lot about the tournament, they are working very hard and without question it will be an important change for rugby in the Americas. But I am focused on the next targets so I have not thought too much about it.

Are Brazil and Chile improving?

We are all growing, just like Argentina grows year after year so too does Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and Brazil. The advancement of Brazil in recent years has caught my attention, the level they have acquired at Rugby Sevens and the quality of the players in their local competitions. There is not doubt that in the near future they will be very difficult opponents and this will enrich rugby in the region.

Muchas Gracias Joaquín y Suerte!

Joaquín Prada is an international rugby player for Uruguay. Aged 23 he is on course to play in his first Rugby World Cup. To date he has earned 25 test caps. He plays for Los Cuervos in Montevideo and can be followed on twitter @joacoprada