Marcelo Loffreda

Marcelo Loffreda (born May 17, 1959, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine former rugby player and coach. Loffreda won 44 caps with one as captain, playing at centre for the Argentine rugby union side (los Pumas). He played much of his career outside the legendary Hugo Porta and scored 4 test tries.

In 1994 he hung up his playing boots and became a coach. In April 2000, he was appointed coach of Argentina and steered them to series victories over France, Wales and Scotland, a draw with the British and Irish Lions, a win against England at Twickenham in November 2006 as well as coming close to securing the Pumas' first victories over South Africa and New Zealand. The Pumas went on to their all-time best finish of third at the 2007 World Cup, including an opening win over hosts France, a pool win over Ireland, and another win over France in the third-place match. This success was Loffreda's swansong as Pumas coach, as he had announced months before the tournament that he would leave the Pumas after the World Cup for the job of Director of Rugby at Leicester.^[1]

Loffreda graduated in civil engineering at Universidad de Buenos Aires and was sales manager for Argentine textile and footwear company Alpargatas .

He is married with five children: Sophia, Nicolas, Juana, Olivia and Marina (in age order)

Loffreda was sacked from his job as Head Coach at Leicester on June 6, 2008, after just one season at the club. Despite reaching two finals (EDF energy and Guinness Premiership) he was dismissed due to poor results. Leicester only just reached the Premiership playoffs and barely qualified for the Heineken Cup; from a club of this self-perceived standard, this was seen as unacceptable. He was succeeded as Leicester Tigers coach by then 40-year-old South African, Heyneke Meyer in late June 2008.

He has returned to Argentina as a coach.

International Matches as Head Coach

Note: World Rankings Column shows the World Ranking Argentina was placed at on the following Monday after each of their matches

2000
Maiden win over Ireland at home
W 32-27 v Uruguay Kingston 19 May 2001 PARA Pan American Championship
W 44-16 v USA Hamilton 23 May PARA Pan American Championship
W 20-6 v Canada Markham 26 May PARA Pan American Championship
L 19-67 v New Zealand Christchurch 23 June
W 38-17 v Italy Buenos Aires 14 Jul
W 30-16 v Wales Millennium Stadium 10 Nov (Maiden win in Wales, first ever win over Wales)
W 25-16 v Scotland Murrayfield 18 Nov
L 20-24 v New Zealand Buenos Aires 1 Dec

W 35-21 v Uruguay Mendoza 28 Apr 2002 2002 South American Rugby Championship
W 152-0 v Paraguay Mendoza 1 May 2002 2002 South American Rugby Championship (National Record Win)
W 57-13 v Chile Mendoza 4 May 2002 South American Rugby Championship
W 28-27 v France Buenos Aires 15 Jun (First win over France since 1992 and first home win over France since 1986)
L 18-26 v England Buenos Aires 22 Jun
L 29-49 v South Africa Springs 29 Jun
L 6-17 v Australia Buenos Aires 2 Nov
W 36-6 v Italy Rome 16 Nov (Maiden win in Italy)
L 7-16 v Ireland Lansdowne Road 23 Nov

W 144-0 v Paraguay Montevideo 27 Apr 2003 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 49-3 v Chile Montevideo 30 Apr 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 32-0 v Uruguay Montevideo 3 May 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 10-6 v France Buenos Aires 14 Jun
W 33-32 v France Buenos Aires 20 Jun (Maiden Series Win over France)
L 25-26 v South Africa Port Elizabeth 28 Jun
W 49-30 v Fiji Cordoba 18 Aug
W 42-8 v USA Buenos Aires 23 Aug 2003 PARA Pan American Championship
W 57-0 v Uruguay Buenos Aires 27 Aug 2003 PARA Pan American Championship
W 62-22 v Canada Buenos Aires 30 Aug 2003 PARA Pan American Championship
L 8-24 v Australia Sydney 10 Oct 2003 Rugby World Cup
W 67-14 v Namibia Gosford 14 Oct 2003 Rugby World Cup
W 50-3 v Romania Sydney 22 Oct 2003 Rugby World Cup
W 15-16 v Ireland Adelaide 26 Oct 2003 Rugby World Cup

W 45-3 v Chile Santiago 25 Apr 2004 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 69-10 v Uruguay Santiago 28 Apr 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 147-7 v Venezuela Santiago 1 May 2003 South American Rugby Championship
W 50-44 v Wales Tucuman 12 Jun
L 20-35 v Wales Buenos Aires 19 Jun
L 7-41 v New Zealand Hamilton 26 Jun
W 24-14 v France Marseille 20 Nov (first win in France since 1992)
L 19-21 v Ireland Lansdowne Road 27 Nov
L 7-39 v South Africa Buenos Aires 4 Dec

W 68-36 v Japan Buenos Aires 23 Apr 2005
W 48-13 v Chile Buenos Aires 8 May
W 27-21 v Uruguay Buenos Aires 15 May
W 35-21 v Italy Salta 11 Jun
W 29-30 v Italy Cordoba 17 Jun
L 23-34 v South Africa Buenos Aires 5 Nov
W 23-19 v Scotland Murrayfield 12 Nov
W 39-22 v Italy Genova 19 Nov
L 12-28 v Samoa Buenos Aires 3 Dec

W 27-25 v Wales Puerto Madryn 11 Jun 2006
W 45-27 v Wales Buenos Aires 17 Jun
L 19-25 v New Zealand Buenos Aires 24 Jun
W 60-13 v Chile	Santiago 1 Jul
W 26-0 v Uruguay Buenos Aires 8 Jul
W 25-18 v England Twickenham 11 Nov (Maiden win in England)
W 23-16 v Italy Rome 18 Nov
L 26-27 v France Stade de France 25 Nov

W 22-20 v Ireland Santa Fe 26 May 2007
W 16-0	v Ireland Buenos Aires 2 Jun
W 24-6 v Italy	Mendoza	9 Jun
L 20-27 v Wales Millennium Stadium 18 Aug
W 17-12 v France Stade de France 7 Sep 2007 Rugby World Cup
W 33-3 v Georgia Lyon 11 Sep 2007 Rugby World Cup
W 63-3 v Namibia Marseille 22 Sep 2007 Rugby World Cup
W 30-15 v Ireland Parc des Princes 30 Sep 2007 Rugby World Cup
W 19-13 v Scotland Stade de France 7 Oct 2007 Rugby World Cup
L 13-37 v South Africa Stade de France 14 Oct 2007 Rugby World Cup
W 34-10 v France Parc des Princes 19 Oct 2007 Rugby World Cup

References