 Porta in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Hugo Porta (1951-09-11)11 September 1951 (age 74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| University | UBA[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Architect[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hugo Porta (born 11 September 1951) is an Argentine retiredrugby union player. Considered one of the bestfly-halves the sport has seen, he is an inductee of both theInternational Rugby Hall of Fame[2] andIRB Hall of Fame.[3][4] During the 1970s and 1980s, he played 58 times forArgentina,captaining them on 34 occasions, including leading them during the firstWorld Cup in 1987.
Porta made his international debut in 1971. His best performances forLos Pumas came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with a draw withFrance in 1977, a 24–13 win againstAustralia in 1979, and a 21–21 draw withNew Zealand in 1985.
In December 2018, Porta was elected as president of Argentinesports clubBanco Nación, where he spent his entire career as player.[5]
Porta was born inBuenos Aires. He playedfootball (soccer) and almost signed forBoca Juniors but then changed to rugby union, joiningBanco Nación. Porta made his debut for Argentina on 10 October 1971 againstChile in the starting line up. He earned another three caps that year in games againstBrazil,Paraguay andUruguay. The following year, Argentina played two games againstSouth Africa inBuenos Aires.
Porta played seven times for the national team the following season, including matches againstRomania as well as Ireland and ScotlandXVs (non-cap). During the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Argentina played fourTests againstFrance. In 1976, games were also played against Welsh and New Zealand XVs (non-cap). Porta became the national captain in 1977, and in his first game in charge, led the Pumas against France. Argentina lost 3–26, with Porta getting Argentina's only points through a penalty goal. However, in the following match, the nations drew 18–18, Porta providing all of Argentina's points through six penalties, as, for France, didJean-Michel Aguirre, who also kicked six penalties.
Porta led Argentina in two matches during October 1978; against an England XV (non-cap) andItaly. The following season he led the Pumas against a New Zealand XV (non-cap) in a two match series. On 27 October 1979, Porta led Argentina to a victory overAustralia in Buenos Aires, winning 24–13. Porta kicked two conversions, one penalty and three drop goals to contribute 18 points during the match. Although the following leg was lost 12–17, the win became a landmark for Argentina.
Porta captained theSouth American Jaguars on three tours of South Africa between 1980 and 1984. Following the1980 South America tour, Porta led Argentina to two victories overFiji, and drew withEngland in 1981. During thesecond South America tour in 1982, South America won the second of the two internationals inBloemfontein, with Porta scoring all of the 21 points in the victory.[6] Argentina also defeated Australia 18–3 inBrisbane atBallymore in 1983. Another South American tour took place in 1984. Argentina also defeated France 24–16 in June 1985. Following a 20–33 loss toNew Zealand that October, the famous 21–21 draw happened on 2 November, with Porta kicking four penalties and three drop goals for 21 points. Porta is the only Argentine player to have represented theSouth African Barbarians Club.
Porta led Argentina to the1987 World Cup, at the age of 36 and retired after the tournament. In their first pool match, they lost to Fiji 28–9. The following game saw Argentina win, defeating Italy 25–16. They were defeated 46–15 by New Zealand in the last game. He came out of retirement briefly in 1990 to play games againstIreland, England andScotland. In 1991, he was appointed Argentine Ambassador to South Africa by PresidentCarlos Menem, and in 1994, became Argentina's Minister for Sport.[2] In 2000, his car wascarjacked by thieves in Buenos Aires, but they returned his vehicle after reading whose car they had stolen in the newspapers.
In September 2007, former England captainWill Carling included Porta among his list of top ten rugby players of all time.[7] Former Australianfly-halfMark Ella wrote of Porta that, "I've never played against a better five-eighth."[8]
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| Preceded by | Olimpia de Oro 1985 | Succeeded by |
