Santiago Phelan

Santiago Phelan

Date of birth	(1974-03-31)March 31, 1974
Place of birth	San Isidro,Argentina
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	92 kg (14 st 7 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1992–2003 Club Atlético San Isidro () Correct as of 25 September 2007 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1997–2003 Argentina 43 (5) Correct as of 25 September 2007 Coaching career Years Team 2008-2013 Argentina

Santiago Phelan(born March 31, 1974, inSan Isidro, Buenos Aires) is anArgentineretiredrugby unionfootballer. His usual position was flanker.

Phelan played for Argentine clubClub Atlético San Isidroand represented theArgentina national rugby union teamon 44 occasions, captaining the team twice. He represented Argentina at the1999and2003Rugby World Cups. Phelan retired due to injury in 2003 at the age of 29, he has since taken up coaching.

On March 13, 2008, Phelan was named as the coach of theArgentine rugby union team,filling the vacancy left byMarcelo Loffreda.

On October 21, 2013, Phelan stepped down from his post as Los Pumas head coach with immediate effect, one year early from the end of his contract.Over the 45 matches that he coached, he earned 13 wins, 31 defeats and 1 draw in his 5-year tenure. Since talking over in 2008, he has rarely earned successes. Argentina failed to get a test series victory under Phelan, with a draw againstScotlandin2008andEnglandin2009,before losing 2–0 to Scotland in2010.In 2012, Argentina again drew a test series againstFrance,then losing 2–0 to England in2013including a record 32–3 defeat in the opening test, the biggest losing margin Argentina has had against England on home soil. He did lead Argentina to the occasional "upset", including a 9–6 win over Scotland atMurrayfield StadiuminEdinburghand a 26–12 win over Wales, who at the time where theSix Nations Grand Slam Champions,at theMillennium StadiuminCardiff.

He led the Pumas to the2011 Rugby World Cup knockout stage,but lost to hostsNew Zealandin the Quarter Finals. In2012,Phelan led Argentina into their debut year inThe Rugby Championship,and proved hard to beat when home. He led Argentina to a 16–16 draw againstSouth Africaat home in round 2, but failed to improve on that draw, ending bottom of the table with just 4 points and no wins.

In2013the pumas had record defeats, starting with the 73–13 defeat to South Africa in the opening round - which was South Africa's biggest winning margin over Argentina.Like in 2012, they came close to beating South Africa at home, but their discipline proved costly with 5 penalties against them, South Africa won 22–17.In Round 4, they came close to beatingAustraliainPerthafter losing the match 14–13, but in the corresponding home fixture, Argentina lost 54–17 to Australia, a record losing margin against Australia at home.

In October 2013, Phelan resigned as Argentina head coach after five and a half years in charge. Under Phelan, Argentina won 13, drew one and lost 31 of the 45 matches.

Phelan has paternal Irish ancestry.

External links

• RWC 2003 profile
• (in Spanish)CASI profile