Brazil's rebuild gathers pace under new head coach Guilherme Coghetto

From the bright and shining lights of the Women’s Rugby World Cup to the grassy pitch of São José de Campos, a lot has happened to Brazil since September of last year.

The main change was in the head coach role, as Emiliano Caffera left the team and was replaced by Guilherme Coghetto, a former Brazil international who helped coach the Yaras at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

At his first press conference, Coghetto had expressed his vision for Brazil, laying out the plan for the next four years.

“Our goal for 2026 is to build a gameplay and a team culture that showcases who we are, as we want to reach the World Cup qualifiers in great shape. That’s the key goal for us right now.”

At the same time, the staff is looking to identify new talents that can take the Yaras mantle, as there’s a need to resupply the team with top-level players, due to some potential retirements or absences.

With the WXV Global Series Challenger scheduled for September, the Yaras are fiercely preparing for their first appearance in the tournament hosted by Hong Kong China, having faced Colombia twice in the last few weeks. 

While there were no ranking points in play due to Brazil opting to field their ‘A’ side, the Yaras XV, they still fielded ten players who had been involved in Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, like Yaras legend Raquel Kochann and veteran scrum half Luiza Campos. 

Twelve players made their debut as members of a Brazilian representative side, including Adriana Felix, Adryenne Lima, Emi da Silva [Blagnac from Élite 1], Gabriela Alves, Geovanna Pereira, Juliana da Silva, Laryssa Barbosa [Brown University], Letícia da Silva, Monalisa Machado, Nicoly Viana, and Sofia Mendez.

The Brazilians came on top in both clashes, clinching a 32-20 win in the first fixture and a 19-10 win in the second one. Their performance was positive overall, with Coghetto testing some new ideas and strategies, while giving precious game time to a roster that is trying to take the next step.

In the opening game of the series, Brazil had a troubling time containing Colombia, as the opposition fiercely thought in every area of the game. When the game reached the break, the home side was only four points ahead, with the visiting Tucanes XV looking more gelled than their Brazilian opposition.

However, the Yaras XV’s better conditioning eventually kicked in, drawing a line between the two sides, with the home team adding four more tries before the match official blew for full-time. Despite the loss, Colombia still managed to bag two more tries to their end, pushing Brazil to the corner in the last 10 minutes.

With Raquel Kochann commanding the backline from the fly-half position, the Yaras XV looked menacing at times, showing good consistency with the ball in their possession. Winger Thalita Costa was one of the most impressive operators, landing a finish and creating several individual moments that caught the Tucanes XV by surprise.

As for the forward pack, the Yaras XV didn’t have the most galvanising and dominant performance, as they conceded two driving maul tries, allowing the Colombian side to lay down the law in that area. Nevertheless, the Brazilian scrum was massive and took control of the game at the right moment, putting an end to the Tucanes XV’s dream of an upset.

The second clash of the series was similar in everything, but with fewer points scored. The Yaras XV were in lead for most of the match, with the scrum playing again a crucial role in determining the winner. While Brazil’s backline seemed to have the upper hand, if not for their counter-lineout and scrum dominance, the Colombian opposition could’ve dreamt of something bigger.

The locals struggled to maintain control of the ball in the build-up phase without exposing themselves to a Colombian counter-ruck or breakdown steal.

Again, the conditioning ultimately gave the Brazilians the means to keep the opposition at bay until the game’s conclusion. As for player mentions, Brown University’s Laryssa Barbosa was instrumental to the Yaras XV’s success, with the volatile centre scoring a spectacular try following a cunning play from the lineout.

Thalita Costa had another strong performance as Pâmela Soares, with both looking at the top of their game with just three months to go until the WXV Global Series Challenger.

With the Yaras XV-Tucanes XV series wrapped up, the main question that arises is whether Brazil can be a contender for the WXV Global Series Challenger come September.

While the scrum and a few players did impress and make an impact, it is clear that the team needs the sevens internationals back in the fold, as well as the operators playing in France, New Zealand and Australia.

Bianca Silva, Thalia Costa, Larissa Lima Henwood, Taís Prioste, Eshyllen Coimbra, Camilla Ísis Carvalho and a few others are pivotal names who can boost Brazil’s chances, adding key elements such as experience, lethality and leadership.

The May series against Colombia was key to increasing the team’s depth, as Guilherme Coghetto had mentioned in his first press conference.

After enjoying their first World Cup, the Yaras need to find a way to climb the ladder while avoiding complete dependence on some of their most notable players.

There is talent and stunning promise in the Brazilian ranks, and with the WXV Global Series Challenger already on the horizon, the Yaras will be determined to show they have matured and are ready to face Spain, Hong Kong China, the Netherlands, Samoa and Fiji.