Sonnes sets Spain on 'Spanish way' as WXV Challenger marks pivotal World Cup push

Régis Sonnes has described Spain’s upcoming WXV Global Series Challenger as a “pivotal stage” in Las Leonas’ development, with the head coach using the September tournament in Hong Kong as a benchmark for his side’s World Cup ambitions.

Spain will face Fiji, Samoa and Brazil at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, in what will be Sonnes’ second block of fixtures since taking charge following Juan Marruecos’ departure after the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. His tenure began promisingly, with Las Leonas claiming the Rugby Europe Championship title in his first series of matches.

“We’re going to face teams with greater physical power, excellent technique, and a higher level of play than what we’ve encountered so far,” Sonnes said. “We want to assess where we truly stand: to gauge our physical condition and test our character — our ability to hold firm and impose our style of play on the pitch.”

The WXV Global Series Challenger serves as the opening act of a season that could see Spain secure a Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 berth. A successful Rugby Europe Championship campaign next year would confirm qualification, giving Sonnes more than two years to prepare for the tournament in Australia.

Beyond the Hong Kong fixtures, Spain will also face the Springbok Women in a crossover match on 4 October — a game Sonnes identified as his team’s “toughest opponent” over the next ten weeks. The fixture will also be historic: the first time Las Leonas have played in Seville.

Sonnes, a former back-row for Stade Toulousain and CA Brive, has been shaping his squad’s identity at a training camp in Soustons, France, and is clear about the style he wants to embed.

“We want to play the ‘Spanish way’,” he said. “The Spanish playing identity is defined by positive, highly attacking rugby that seeks out space using intelligence, technique, and speed. It is about moving the ball dynamically, leveraging our tactical intelligence to create opportunities, score tries, and win matches.”

Sonnes was equally direct about the mindset he wants his players to carry into the WXV Challenger, cautioning against fixating on scorelines at the expense of process.

“This is a phase for self-assessment, analysis, and adjustment, always keeping the ultimate goal in sight: qualifying for the World Cup in Australia,” he said. “If we fixate solely on the final score, we’ll get nervous and fail to execute our style. If we meet our tactical and strategic objectives on the pitch, the result will follow naturally from the quality of our play.”