Nicolás Sánchez, one of the top figures of Los Pumas, confirmed his retirement from rugby. With 902 points in 104 test matches, he is the National Team’s historic scorer and remained in everyone’s memory as the top scorer of the 2015 World Cup, when Argentina reached fourth place.
El Cachorro had already left professional rugby last year to return to his club of origin, Lawn Tennis, with which he had a dream season, winning the NOA Regional, the Interior Tournament and the National Club Championship. Sánchez had kept this decision private with his family and chose the summer to share it through his social networks.
It is removed this way the historic scorer of the Argentine national team, with 902 goalsthe product of 15 tries, 130 conversions, 173 penalties and 12 drops.
The man from Tucumán played 104 games for Argentina and is one of the four – the second to achieve it – to exceed 100 matchesin addition to Agustín Creevy, Pablo Matera and Julián Montoya.
Sánchez is one of the eight men who played in four World Cups (New Zealand 2011, England 2015, Japan 2019 and France 2023). He played 16 games and is clearly the Argentine top scorer in that competition, with 156 points, 97 of which came in the 2015 edition, when he won the competition’s top scorer award.
In addition, he is the Argentine with the most points in a match against the All Blacks: 25 in the 25-15 victory in the 2020 Three Nations.
He was born on October 26, 1988 in San Miguel de Tucumán and in his career he went through Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Pampas XV, Bordeaux, Toulon, Jaguares, Stade Francais, Brive, Tokyo Sungoliath and his return to Tucumán Lawn Tennis, with which he conquered the NOA Regional and the National Clubs.
The goodbye message
“Today I close a very important stage of my life. After many years of dedication, effort and passion, I have made the decision to retire from rugbya sport that not only shaped me as a player, but also as a person”he expressed.
In his emotional farewell, he thanked those who accompanied him along the way: “Rugby gave me values such as teamwork, humility, respect and resilience. It allowed me to meet extraordinary people: friends, coaches, rivals and all those who supported me on this journey. Thanks to my family, friends and teams who trusted me, in every victory and every defeat. Even though I stop playing, rugby will always be part of my life.”.
A career marked by achievements
A fan of Atlético Tucumán and Boca, Sánchez began playing rugby at the age of 8 with his brother Benjamín, led by his father Fabián. In Lawn Tennis they nicknamed him Puppyand from there he began a brilliant career.
At 18 he debuted in his club’s Primera and in Los Pumitasand the following year he was already part of the M20 team. In 2010, with Pampas XV, he played for the South African Vodacom and became champion with Tucumán in the Argentine.
His debut in Los Pumas came in 2011the year in which he emigrated to French rugby to play for Bègles Bordeaux. That same year, due to Juan Martín Hernández’s injury, he was called up to the World Cup in New Zealand, although he had to face the difficulties of a group that made him “pay floor fee”.
In the 2015 World Cup, however, he had his great revenge: He was the absolute scorer of the tournament with 97 points and captain of the team in the third place match against South Africa.
We pass by Toulon, Stade Français, Brive and Tokyo Sungoliath, He also shone in Jaguaresthe Argentine franchise that reached the Super Rugby final in 2019. That year, Sánchez started as a starter in the World Cup in Japan, although he was later replaced in a team that was eliminated in the group stage.
In the 2023 World Cup, he closed his time with the blue and white in the bronze medal match against England. With 104 tests and a record of 902 points, Sánchez, Puma No. 737, leaves an indelible legacy in the history of Argentine rugby.