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Gonzalo Quesada Returns from 19 Years in France To Be Head Coach of Jaguares. The 44-year-old will take charge of the Argentine Super Rugby franchise in 2019. Quesada replaces RWC 1999 and 2003 teammate Mario Ledesma, the latter now being Argentina’s Head Coach.
The arrival of the Quesada regime is nothing short of a genuine transformation for Argentina. Ledesma’s professionalism in his one season at Los Jaguares was well documented by the players. Quesada brings with him even more experience and is a genuine option to one day become Los Pumas’ Head Coach.
The path from France to Argentina are comparable yet different from Ledesma and Quesada. The former played for Narbonne, Castres and Clermont from 2001-2011 while the latter played for Narbonne, Béziers, Stade Français, Pau and Toulon from 2000-2007.
Both took up coaching in France after retirement. Ledesma did so as a forwards coach for Stade Français and Montpellier before moving to Australia to coach the Waratahs and subsequently Australia.
Quesada was France assistant coach from 2008-2011 before being assistant coach of Racing 92 in 2011-2011 and then Head coach of the same club from 2012-2013. From 2013-2017 he was Head Coach of Stade Français, seeing the club to the Top 14 title in 2015.
In 2017 Quesada moved south to Biarritz to take control of the Pro D2 club. After one season he departed, freeing up the possibility of a return to Argentina after 19 years in France.
Prior to moving to France as a player Quesada had literally taken the RWC by storm. In RWC 1999 he was the top point scorer. His 102 points were crucial in Argentina’s campaign which included Quesada scoring 27 points in the win Samoa, 21 against Japan, and 23 against Ireland. This culminated in a first ever appearance in a Quarter Final which saw Argentina eliminated by eventual finalists, France.
Like many of the RWC 1999 Pumas, the tournament was a springboard into professionalism with Quesada beginning his career in France after capturing great interest.
Quesada’s test debut had come in 1996. He earned his first cap against the USA with his final one coming in Adelaide, Australia in RWC 2003. In total he would earn 38 caps for Argentina, scoring 486 points.
His country recognized his importance as Quesada won the 1999 Olímpia de Oro (Golden Olympia), officially making him Argentina’s greatest sportsperson of the year. The only other rugby players to win the award are Hugo Porta in 1985, and Bernardo Otoño in 1965.
Highlights of his career went beyond appearing in two RWC tournaments. Prior to RWC 2003 he scored 20 points in a home win over France in Buenos Aires. His goal-kicking was crucial in Argentina winning 33-32.
His final test cap would come against Ireland. The match was part of a highly controversial RWC tournament with Argentina having a full week less than opponents Australia, and Ireland to play their four pool matches.
Quesada was on the bench for the tournament opener against Australia. Starting was Felipe Contepomi. His off-night as a goal-kicker would be critical in the remaining matches. Quesada started against Namibia in their second game against Argentina Ireland in Los Pumas’ fourth, and final, match.
Against Namibia Quesada kicked 17 points and scored 14 against Ireland. Los Pumas would convincingly defeat the African country but lose by an agonizing 16-15 against the Irish. The manner in which the scheduled was put together only went to further the rivalry which would continue with Argentina facing Ireland again in RWC 2007.
Quesada played at RWC 2003 at the age of 29. His remarkably important test career was ended prematurely. Meanwhile Ledesma would go from being benched in RWC 2003 to reclaiming the starting hooker position and holding it down until retirement at RWC 2011.
While Ledesma was playing on with Clermont and Argentina Quesada was coaching. He began as France’s kicking coach in 2008 and departed with France losing the RWC 2011 final against New Zealand.
At the same time Argentina was in full transition to professionalism. The Rugby Championship would begin 2012 and Los Jaguares would join Super Rugby in 2016. The years of 2011-2017 saw Argentina coached by experienced rugby coaches but not men to have had professional playing experience and also incomparable coaching experiences abroad.
The arrival of Quesada at Los Jaguares completes the transition in this regard. The play time is over – Argentina now has two highly accomplished, experienced and knowledgable men running the country’s two fully professional teams.
