Spain booked their place at Rugby World Cup 2023 with a 33-28 win against Portugal in Madrid on Sunday.
Their victory ensures that they will finish second in the combined Rugby Europe Championship 2021 and 2022 standings, no matter the result of their final match against Georgia next Sunday.
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Spain will end a 24-year wait for a second Rugby World Cup appearance when they make the short trip to France next year, where they will line up in Pool B alongside Webb Ellis Cup holders South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the Asia / Pacific 1 qualifier.
“It’s been a long journey and a very tough qualification process,” said Spain head coach Santiago Santos.
“We lost our first three games and after that, we have won six in a row.
“The performance of the team was amazing and we are very excited to be going to the Rugby World Cup.”
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Los Leones’ RWC 2023 will get underway on Saturday 9 September 2023 when they take on Ireland at Stade de Bordeaux.
Eight days later, Santiago Santos’s side will face the Springboks at the same venue, before heading to Lille where they play Scotland on 30 September and the Asia / Pacific 1 qualifier on 8 October.
Spain’s last tournament appearance came at RWC 1999, where they were also drawn alongside South Africa and Scotland, as well as Uruguay, in Pool A.
Los Leones lost each of their three matches, all of which were played in Scotland, as they exited the tournament at the pool stage.
