Felipe Contepomi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Felipe Contepomi

Contepomi during a training session at Stade Français.
Birth name	Felipe Contepomi
Date of birth	(1977-08-20) 20 August 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	92 kg (14 st 7 lb)
School	Colegio Cardenal Newman (Buenos Aires)
University	Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Notable relative(s)	Manuel Contepomi (twin brother), Silvana Contepomi, Juan Pablo Contepomi, Francisco Contepomi, Bebe Contepomi(Famous Radio Person) , Lia Contepomi, Maria Elena Contepomi, Mercedes Villegas, Santiago Villegas, Francisco Villegas, Joaquin Villegas
Spouse	Sofia Gallego Soto
Children	Catalina, Manuela, Juan Ignacio
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Centre Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1996–2000 Club Newman () 2003–2004 Carlow RFC () 2005 Lansdowne FC () 2013–14 Club Newman () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2001–2003 Bristol 60 (769) 2003–2009 Leinster 116 (1,225) 2009–2011 Toulon 41 (165) 2011–2013 Stade Français 30 (172) 2013–2015 Club Newman () Correct as of 12 June 2013 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1998–2013 Argentina 87 (651) Correct as of 6 October 2013 Correct as of 11 July 2014 Teams coached Years Team 2015 Argentina XV (assistant coach) 2015–2017 Jaguares (defence coach) 2017–2018 Argentina XV 2018–2022 Leinster (backs coach) 2022–2023 Argentina (assistant coach) 2024– Argentina

Felipe Contepomi (born 20 August 1977) is a famous Argentine rugby coach. He is currently the head coach for the Argentine national rugby team, known as the Pumas.

Before becoming a coach, Felipe was a professional rugby union player. He played as a fly-half or centre. His last club was Club Newman in Argentina, but he also played for many professional teams in Europe. He was a very important player for Argentina for 15 years. His twin brother, Manuel, also played for the Pumas.

Felipe Contepomi was honored in the World Rugby Hall of Fame in November 2017 for his amazing career.

Playing Career Highlights

Club Rugby Journey

Felipe was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 20 August 1977. He started playing rugby at his school, Colegio Cardenal Newman, and then for Club Newman. In 2001, he signed his first professional contract with the English team Bristol. After Bristol was relegated, he joined Leinster in Ireland.

He was a key player for Leinster, especially in the 2005–06 Heineken Cup. He helped Leinster win a big game against Toulouse, scoring 21 points and earning the "man of the match" award. That year, he was the top scorer in both the 2005–06 Celtic League and the Heineken Cup.

In 2007, Felipe also earned a medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in Dublin. He even worked at a hospital there! He won the Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year award in 2007.

In March 2009, it was announced that Felipe would leave Leinster. He signed a four-year deal to join the French team RC Toulon. He played for Toulon for two seasons, then moved to Stade Français in 2011. In 2013, he returned to Argentina before he retired from playing.

International Rugby for Argentina

Felipe Contepomi was one of the biggest stars in world rugby. He became captain of the Argentine national team in 2008. He had played for Argentina's U19, U21, and Sevens teams before making his senior debut against Chile in 1998.

He often played as a fly-half, but sometimes as an inside centre. He was part of the 1999 Rugby World Cup squad, where the Pumas reached the quarter-finals for the first time. He also played in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Contepomi taking a kick against England during the 2011 Rugby World Cup

In 2001, he scored an impressive 25 points in a 30–16 victory over Wales. In 2006, he helped Argentina achieve their first-ever win over England at Twickenham.

The Pumas surprised everyone at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. Felipe was a crucial player in all seven matches. Argentina finished in third place, which was a huge achievement! He was the second-highest points scorer in the tournament. The IRB even nominated him for the 2007 IRB International Player of the Year award.

After the 2007 World Cup, Felipe became the captain of the Pumas. He played his last international game for Argentina on 5 October 2013, against Australia. When he retired, he held the record for the most test matches played for Argentina (87) and the most points scored in international games (651).

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Felipe Contepomi became a coach. He started as an assistant coach for the Argentina XV team in 2015. Then, he became the defense coach for the new Super Rugby team, Jaguares.

In 2017, he became the head coach for Argentina XV. In his first year, his team won four games and drew one, finishing second. They also won the 2017 World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge.

In June 2018, Felipe was appointed as the new backs coach for his former club, Leinster, in Ireland. During his time at Leinster, the team won the Pro14 championship three times (2019, 2020, and 2021). They also reached the final of the European Cup twice.

After the 2021/22 season, Felipe returned to Argentina. He became the attack coach for the national team under head coach Michael Cheika. In 2022, the Pumas had historic wins against Australia, New Zealand, and England. They also finished fourth in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

In December 2023, Michael Cheika left his role, and Felipe Contepomi was promoted to head coach of the Argentine national team.

Honours

Playing Achievements

Coaching Achievements

Argentina XV

See also

In Spanish: Felipe Contepomi para niños