Raffaele Storti exclusive: Portugal’s Rugby World Cup hero and try-scoring sensation

Francisco Isaac
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Raffaele Storti scoring for Portugal against Fiji during the Rugby World Cup and an image of him celebrating with teammate Jose Lima.

Raffaele Storti scoring for Portugal against Fiji during the Rugby World Cup and an image of him celebrating with teammate Jose Lima.

Portugal star winger Raffaele Storti is taking French rugby by storm, and his rise is set to continue when he links up with Top 14 outfit Stade Francais next season.

While he is contracted to the Parisian club, he is currently on loan to PROD2 side Beziers, where this season he has scored an incredible nine tries in seven games, adding to his 10 in 10 last season.

His form in France has translated to the international stage after helping Portugal qualify for just their second-ever Rugby World Cup and played a pivotal role in delivering their first-ever win in the tournament.

Born and raised in Lisbon, the former Técnico Rugby star was always one of the most vibrant Portuguese youth players, catching everyone’s attention in 2019 when he played in the U20 Rugby World Trophy. Fast-forward four years, he is rocking for Beziers after stellar World Cup.

The star winger spoke exclusively to Planet Rugby’s Francisco Isaac, where he explained how life in the beautiful southern French town of Beziers is treating him.

Life in Beziers

“My life in Beziers is a peaceful and calm one. After practice, I try not to stay home for too long, either go for a coffee with some teammates, play some golf, or padel tennis. Xico [Portuguese international Francisco Fernandes] helped me a lot, especially in the beginning, finding me an apartment to live in, showing me around, and integrating me into the team. I’m very grateful to him for that! We have a really good relationship; I normally dine at his house once every two weeks,” Storti explained.

“I am having a great time in Beziers. The weather is always nice, and the fans are fantastic; they’ve always shown me their support! I believe we can be the surprise of the PROD2 this season. We want to end up in the top 6, at least, and why not fight for the title? We have an amazing team.”

Storti initially joined Stade Francais in 2021 but was unable to make his debut for the side before being loaned out in 2022 to Beziers.

“There were some obstacles in my first year in Paris, as I didn’t have the opportunity to play and prove myself, and I also had a couple of injuries,” he explained.

“In the PROD2, I found a similar level to the Rugby Europe Championship, the difference is that we have to perform at this level every weekend for a long, very long time. When I first arrived in Beziers, the main issue was to adapt my game to my new team and find the right chemistry.

“I would call it a goal, earning this pro contract with Stade [Français]. Like any other player, I always aim to play at the highest level, and this ambition is what drives me. This type of competition gives you the chance to play against the best. I am already looking forward to it.”

2023, a year to remember

It’s been a memorable year for the speedster who impressed for his club before earning his place in the World Cup squad, where he would continue his superb scoring streak, dotting down on three occasions in the tournament.

He scored the opening try of Portugal’s historic win over Fiji before setting up the match-winner for fellow winger Rodrigo Marta, this coming after he crossed the whitewash twice in the stalemate with Georgia earlier in the tournament.

“Not even in my dreams would I ever think this would be the culmination of the last four years,” the winger says with a laugh.

“Four years ago, my life was very different: I was living in Lisbon, playing amateur rugby, and focused on finishing my university degree. There’s no doubt that 2023 was a special year in terms of rugby for me. Having the opportunity to play in a World Cup and achieving the results we had as a team were unforgettable experiences. I’ve also had amazing moments with Beziers, finishing the year at the top 3 of the PROD2, which hadn’t happened in the club for a long time.

“It is difficult to choose one specific moment. There are many, like arriving at the stadium, with hundreds of Portuguese supporters waiting for us for hours, or the walks around the pitch after the final whistle, where we could hug all our family, friends and companions. All of them were special, and I will never forget them. I have also to mention singing the National anthem alongside thousands of Portuguese people.”

Victory at the World Cup

Portugal captured the hearts of fans at France 2023 with their entertaining brand of rugby and passionate approach to the game.

However, then-head coach Patrice Lagisquet believed that the side could do more and become the first Portugal team to win a Rugby World Cup match,

“I remember Patrice saying, ‘This is the day we stop being losers and start being winners’ before the final match against Fiji,” Storti said.

“It touched me because it showed us how much he believed in us. Even after three good games in the World Cup, Patrice wasn’t satisfied. He wanted a win, and that was the mentality he injected into us throughout these four years.

“Patrice and the rest of the staff built a good base of players to fight for this dream. However, the journey isn’t finished, and we need to keep working hard to stay on the right track.

“After this World Cup, a lot of things have changed, including the staff and some players retired. I believe there’s a lot of quality to explore from players in Portugal and Portuguese players playing abroad. Investments in youth categories need to continue, and the National team needs to keep having quality games. Our 2024 schedule, featuring the games against South Africa or England A, is very positive for us.”

Portugal will be the second team to tackle the Springboks following their World Cup victory in France, with Os Lobbos scheduled to take on South Africa in the Republic next June.

“I was really happy when I heard that we were heading to South Africa next July. Not only is it a recognition that Portugal is improving, but it is also another opportunity to show the world we can compete against these teams,” Storti enthused.

“We had very big challenges in the World Cup, playing the likes of Wales and Fiji, but this one will be the biggest. Facing the World champions on their turf is probably a 99% certainty of failure, but we’ll take that 1% and fight like hell. We know these opportunities also bring extra pressure because we need to prove we deserve to be there, but we positively take that pressure as a sign of recognition.”

Two final thoughts

Looking ahead, Storti hopes that SANZAAR and the Six Nations’ countries will open up their tournaments to the tier two nations.

“Nations like us need to have the chance to play in the biggest tournaments,” he explained.

“The Six Nations, Rugby Championship, and the new World League they are all closed tournaments. For tier two nations this takes out some of the motivation to compete. These are the tournaments with the most audience and reach, thus helping all of us to grow. ”

“I believe internal efforts and investments need to be made. Initiatives like the European Superleague or the Super Rugby Americas are very important to kick off Rugby professionalism in these countries. More efforts to televise and spread the sport need to be done in each country.”

He added: “Three things I would like to happen in the next four years? Play in another World Cup, Win the Top 14, and see Xico Fernandes get his 600th game as a professional player!”

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