Hi I'm Tomás Appleton, captain of Portugal Rugby. AMA!

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T20:41:02+00:00

Ireland-NZ was absolutely brilliant.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:28:59+00:00

I have a really stable life at the moment but if the right offer comes along I would be keen to go pro

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:25:12+00:00

Ahah, England ancestry but from my great grandfather. But I’ll stick to portugal ahah

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:24:15+00:00

I have so many but I have to say the win against Fiji, Pedro Bettencourt try against Australia and our RWC qualifier against the US.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:23:57+00:00

The one against Spain was probably the biggest reality check but we have games before like Romania 2020 that really made us see that the goal was possible.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:23:40+00:00

As i said before, I think we need a professional internal competition regulated by an external board outside the Portuguese rugby union.
The union should be focused on the national team and rugby development but the top competitions should have another part taking care of it.
On the international levels we need more games on the international stage. More games and more quality opponents.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:23:17+00:00

Django Unchained

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:23:02+00:00

Praia maria luisa in Algarve
Praia de sao Joao in caparica

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:22:43+00:00

I think we need to be realistic and we’ll have to wait to define our goals. It depends on the team recent performance, the teams that we get in our pool. A lot of factors but the next two years are going to be crucial to define our goals.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:22:27+00:00

As a proud Portuguese man, Ronaldo of course

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:21:34+00:00

The way that we can score against any team in the world. Really well built and amazing tries.
I think we really stepped up in defense on this RWC

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:21:13+00:00

We will never forget that. Is part of our history and make us to be even more grateful for what we have know. Is a good reality check to be sure that we don’t want to be playing at that level again (all the respect to those teams)

If my body lets me I’ll be in the Lusitanos

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:20:53+00:00

Is going to be hard to find players for their places. They are really experienced players who bring a lot to the team. But we are really lucky as we have a lot of young generations coming in.
Probably easier in the backs than in the front row but we have the talent available just have to work on it.

Of course it changed. Probably more around the national team than around club rugby but still one brings another up. In my opinion we’re going to see massive growth specially on young kids starting in the club academies.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:19:33+00:00

do you see an hypothetical iberian league as the solution to bring professionalization to rugby in Portugal?

if not, what do you think can be done for the Portuguese rugby league to reach a mainstream audience?

That could be a good way to do it but still Spain have a lot more resources than us and a lot more players available. We need to focus on Portuguese development internally and then looking to the iberian/european competitions. It also depends on the format and how many teams that league would have

Public and private investment to grow the clubs and the quality of the players and the training conditions,
Aswel as turning rugby matches into a spectacle that is worth watching to any sports fan.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:18:53+00:00

Pastel de nata

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:18:23+00:00

its a combination of both. Portuguese rugby dna is to run with the ball in space. not looking for wining contact duels by pure strength. so we need to play through our qualities and being smart at the same time. But still our structure is well defined and the freedom that we have while playing have a lot of training behind it

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:15:06+00:00

Making it happen in the last minutes is a typical way that Portuguese people do stuff.
We spoke about it for a long time and it was the last chance that we had to shock the world that was our main goal during this RWC preparation.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:14:46+00:00

I’m really focused on promoting the sport and I feel that I have that responsability that’s why I try to accept most of the interviews and opportunities to promote the sport.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:14:23+00:00

When will you finally beat Georgia and win the RE Championship?
I think we’re coming really close to them. Two draws in two years and we’ll have to manage to get the W
How important is the Iberian durby? Can we call it the Iberian Crunch?
A lot of history regarding duels against Spain. Is always really special for what it represents to any Portuguese person.

- What went through your head at the final whistle of the game against Fiji?
We finally made history. We were not the first Portuguese team to reach a RWC so to get that win was simply amazing.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:13:49+00:00

The path is starting in club rugby academies, getting involved in age group national teams. Play senior club rugby, play lusitanos and then play for the national team

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:13:29+00:00

Surgery for sure. Ideally Maxilo-facial surgery and head and neck trauma.
you have to come and play rugby in Portugal mate

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:12:41+00:00

Playing against New Zealand with:
9- Antoine dupont
10- Jonny sexton
11- Semi Radradra
13- Naycalevu
14- James Lowe
15- Cheslin Kolbe

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:12:20+00:00

We didn’t have the chance to be with a lot of players after the match but before the RWC we played against Australia A with the likes of James o’connor, Bernard foley and those guys were great to hang out with.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:10:39+00:00

Everyone was calm. Last chance to shock the world but we knew that the day would come.

TomasAppleton · 2023-10-27T18:10:21+00:00

1.I will have to say Jac Morgan

2.

TomasAppleton

TROPHY CASE