Player for AS Beziers and Portugal

Over 250 matches for AS Beziers in the ProD2, 30 caps for Portugal, and the desire to grow those numbers even further. Linha de Ensaio had the pleasure of talking with the enormous Chico Fernandes.

How did rugby enter your life? How did you start playing?

I started playing when I was 10 years old, in a little village called Soustons, between Bayonne and Dax. The tradition at the club was that when a player would bring a friend to training, that player would get a present from the club. So my friend took me with him, I really liked the sport and decided to stay. 

How did you become a professional rugby player?

When I was at Soustons, two clubs from ProD2 offered me contracts: Dax and US Tyrosse and I chose to go to Tyrosse. Unfortunately, we got relegated to Fédérale 1. In 2011, we played Béziers in the promotion playoff (semi-finals). We lost and eventually they got promoted to ProD2 but at the end of that season they offered me contract and I’ve now been here for 12 seasons.

Very recently, you got a very important milestone: 250 matches in ProD2. What did you feel what you got that mark?

I laughed when I got to that number and I felt really tired suddenly ahaha. On the 23^rd September, it’ll be my 270^th match – time really flies. I also got over 100 matches with Tyrosse in Fédérale 1 and the 30 caps with Portugal. I am very happy and honoured the have achieved those numbers and I hope to being able to grow them even further.

You started playing for Portugal in 2001. What changed in the Team since then?

I was 17 years old when I started playing for Portugal, a long time ago. So many things changed that we could speak 4 or 5 hours about this alone. At the beginning, there was a bit of resistance to have players with double nationality like me to play for the national team as they didn’t want us to take their place in the team. Now, it’s totally different, everyone is very welcomed and I think that we are a better team for it.

Portugal is 3 matches away from qualifying to the World Cup. How do you feel about that Playoff? Confident? Nervous?

All three games are very important to us because every team will have the same desire to be in the World Cup. I am not nervous about it but I am conscious that it’ll be a very big moment for both me and the team and I want to make sure that we can step up to the responsibility.

You have double nationality (Portuguese and French). What would it mean to play the World Cup in France with the Portuguese jersey?

I’m very proud to represent Portugal and it would be amazing to represent the country in this huge competition, side by side with the best in rugby like Australia or New Zealand. I was born in Portugal and moved to France when I was 2 years old and, despite being in France for a long time, I really feel Portuguese. My wife is French, my two children were born in France and it’d be amazing to be able to play in front of them.

You have now 37 years old and are the most experienced player in the squad. Do you have any extra responsibility when young players are called to the squad?

Yes, I am the oldest in the National Team. The Coach (Patrice Lagisquet) has asked me if I knew of any other players in France with double nationality like me and when a new forward arrives to the team, he asked me to talk to them about certain aspects of the game like scrummaging, for example. I am happy to have a lot of experience and to be able to use it to help my colleagues. Because I’m the oldest, sometimes the younger ones even carry my bag after training ahaha.

Until when do you plan to play rugby?

I don’t really know, I don’t have a date in mind to retire. I’d like to play two or three years more, for sure. I feel good physically and I’m still performing well (n.a. Francisco was voted by the Midi Olympique the best loosehead prop of the last round of the ProD2). Maybe I’ll play until I’m 40, who knows…

 

What are your plans for the post-player life? Do you want to remain involved in rugby?

Actually, to play to the stereotype of Portuguese people in France, I’m a builder and I did construction before becoming a professional rugby player. Maybe, after rubgy, I’ll go back to that life and have my own construction company. I’d also like to do coaching courses so I could become a scrum coach, maybe at Béziers or with the Portuguese team (either the Lobos or the u-18/u-20 teams). It’s good to keep several options open.

What’s the best memory of your career so far?

I have a lot of excellent memories but one of the best ones is from when I played my 250^th game at Béziers. I entered the pitch with my two sons and that was a great moment for me. However, I hope that I can say that the best memory of my career will be to play the World Cup with Portugal in 2023.