Tomaz Morais
Encyclopedia
Tomaz Eduardo Carvalho Morais (born in 6 April 1970 in Lobito
, Angola
) is a Portuguese
rugby union
coach and a former player.
The son of Portuguese settlers in Angola, Morais moved to Portugal following the 25 April 1974 revolution
. He went on to become a Physical Education teacher and a rugby union player, playing as a centre for Cascais. He took some time off from the sport because of his studies, but later returned to play for Direito
. He won 6 titles of the National Championship and 2 Iberian Cups.
Morais won 20 caps for Portugal national rugby union team
, scoring a try, from 1991 to 1995. He had to retire from rugby in 1996 due to a serious injury. He took the opportunity to start a career as a rugby coach, first at Direito
.
He became the coach of the Portuguese national team in September 2001, and, after a hard work, went to win the European Nations Cup
, for the first time, in 2004. The same year, he was nominated for the award of "Coach of the Year" by the IRB
.
In 2007, he led Portugal to their first Rugby World Cup
finals, after beating Uruguay
over two legs. At the 2007 Rugby World Cup
finals, Portugal lost all four of their games, but scored in all of them, including a try in each one, and earned a bonus point in the 14-10 loss to Romania
.
He missed the qualification for the repechage to the 2011 Rugby World Cup
, by finishing in 4th place. He left office as the National Team coach in March 2010 and was replaced by New Zealand Errol Brain
in September. He took office in March 2010 as technical officer of the Portuguese Rugby Federation.
He co-wrote the 2006 book Compromisso : Nunca Desistir ("A Commitment : To Never Give Up") with the journalist Carlos Mendonça.
Lobito
Lobito is a town and municipality in Benguela Province in Angola.It dates from 1905 and owes its existence to the bay of the same name having been chosen as the sea terminus of the Benguela railway to the far interior, passing through Luau to Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
) is a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
coach and a former player.
The son of Portuguese settlers in Angola, Morais moved to Portugal following the 25 April 1974 revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
. He went on to become a Physical Education teacher and a rugby union player, playing as a centre for Cascais. He took some time off from the sport because of his studies, but later returned to play for Direito
Grupo Desportivo Direito
Grupo Desportivo Direito is a Portuguese rugby union team in Lisbon. It is one of the most successful teams in Portugal, having won the National Championship 8 times, in 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11, the Division II National Champsionhip once, in...
. He won 6 titles of the National Championship and 2 Iberian Cups.
Morais won 20 caps for Portugal national rugby union team
Portugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
, scoring a try, from 1991 to 1995. He had to retire from rugby in 1996 due to a serious injury. He took the opportunity to start a career as a rugby coach, first at Direito
Grupo Desportivo Direito
Grupo Desportivo Direito is a Portuguese rugby union team in Lisbon. It is one of the most successful teams in Portugal, having won the National Championship 8 times, in 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11, the Division II National Champsionhip once, in...
.
He became the coach of the Portuguese national team in September 2001, and, after a hard work, went to win the European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
, for the first time, in 2004. The same year, he was nominated for the award of "Coach of the Year" by the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
.
In 2007, he led Portugal to their first Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
finals, after beating Uruguay
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
over two legs. At the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
finals, Portugal lost all four of their games, but scored in all of them, including a try in each one, and earned a bonus point in the 14-10 loss to Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
.
He missed the qualification for the repechage to the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
, by finishing in 4th place. He left office as the National Team coach in March 2010 and was replaced by New Zealand Errol Brain
Errol Brain
Errol F. Brain is a former New Zealand rugby union player and a current coach. He played as back-row.Brain had more than 100 caps for Counties Manukau. He played for Auckland Blues and Waikato Chiefs , in New Zealand, and Valence d'Agen , in France...
in September. He took office in March 2010 as technical officer of the Portuguese Rugby Federation.
He co-wrote the 2006 book Compromisso : Nunca Desistir ("A Commitment : To Never Give Up") with the journalist Carlos Mendonça.