Spain announce new women's head coach

With rumours of discontent in camp during the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, there has been plenty of intrigue as to who would would replace Juan Marruecos in the Spain Women’s Head Coach role.

Spain exited the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the pool stages, failing to record a win, and in the final weeks of his tenure, Marruecos was involved in a team controversy, with players raising concerns about how several team members were being treated.

Spain’s captain, Laura Delgado, exposed the issue in her last RugbyPass column. Due to this, it was made clear Marruecos would be departing the role after the tournament.

Today Spain has announced the new head coach to fill the vacancy is Régis Sonnes who will hold the job for at least the next three seasons.

This is not the first time Sonnes has worked with the Real Federación Española de Rugby, as the 53-year-old Frenchman had already coached the Spanish men’s team between 2010 and 2012.

Sonnes, who played in the 1990s for Stade Toulousain, CA Brive, SU Agen and Stade Montois, has not coached any side since his dismissal from Agen in 2021.

His coaching career began in 2005, when he was assigned as the forward’s coach at SU Agen. Three seasons later, he moved to Spain, where he spent four years, first as the head coach of CRC Madrid and later for the aforementioned national men’s team. He returned to France in 2012 to take over as forwards coach for Union Bordeaux Bègles.

After a brief stint in Ireland, Sonnes was invited to join Ugo Mola’s Stade Toulousain as the new skills coach, helping the side to win the 2018/2019 Top 14. He stayed until 2020, opting to leave before his contract ended.

In the last three years, he has been working in Ireland again, coaching Bandon RFC, a team he is well acquainted with.

Sonnes was signed for his experience and coaching talents and is seen by the Spanish Union top brass as having the right profile to guide the Leonas back to their best form. The Frenchman had previously worked with Spain’s Director of Rugby, José Antonio Barrio, which might hint at a promising cooperation between the two.

The Leonas failed to win any of their World Cup games, and despite performing well in the 2024 WXV, they have fallen down the world rankings following a series of losses to South Africa and Japan.

Sonnes’ arrival is generating expectations in the Spanish rugby community, in hopes of a return to the world’s top 10.