View source for Hugo Porta

{{Short description|Argentine rugby player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Hugo Porta
| image = 25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Hugo Porta - 240421 163256.jpg
| caption = Porta in 2024
| birth_name = Hugo Porta
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1951|9|11}}
| birth_place = [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]
| height =
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| occupation = [[Architect]]<ref name=banco>[http://www.rugbybanco.com.ar/nuevo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=97 Hugo Porta biography at Banco Nación webpage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316045438/http://www.rugbybanco.com.ar/nuevo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=97 |date=16 March 2009 }}</ref>
| school =
| university = [[University of Buenos Aires|UBA]]<ref name=banco/>
| spouse =
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| ru_currentposition = President
| ru_currentteam = [[Club Atlético Banco de la Nación Argentina|Banco Nación]]
| ru_position = [[Fly-half (rugby union)|Fly-half]]
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| years1 = 1966–90 <ref name=banco/>
| clubs1 = [[Club Atlético Banco de la Nación Argentina|Banco Nación]]
| apps1 =
| points1 = 301 <ref name=banco/>
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| ru_provinceyears1 =
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| repyears1 = 1971–1990
| repteam1 = [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]]
| repcaps1 = 58
| reppoints1 = 590
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =
| ru_sevensnationalteam1  =
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1  =
| website =
}}

'''Hugo Porta''' (born 11 September 1951) is an Argentine retired [[rugby union]] player. Considered one of the best [[Rugby union positions#Fly-half|fly-halves]] the sport has seen, he is an inductee of both the [[International Rugby Hall of Fame]]<ref name=hallfame>{{cite web|publisher=[[International Rugby Hall of Fame]] |title=Hugo Porta |url=http://www.rugbyhalloffame.com/pages/porta1997.htm |access-date=17 October 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912101430/http://www.rugbyhalloffame.com/pages/porta1997.htm |archive-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and [[IRB Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irb.com/history/halloffame/newsid=2027752.html#irb+hall+fame+welcomes+five+inductees |title=IRB Hall of Fame Welcomes Five Inductees |publisher=International Rugby Board |date=2008-11-23 |access-date=2008-11-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223212347/http://www.irb.com/history/halloffame/newsid%3D2027752.html |archive-date=23 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=Britannica>{{cite web | publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] | title=Hugo Porta | url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9389115/Hugo-Porta| access-date=8 September 2007}}</ref> During the 1970s and 1980s, he played 58 times for [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]], [[Captain (sports)|captaining]] them on 34 occasions, including leading them during the first [[Rugby World Cup|World Cup]] in 1987.

Porta made his international debut in 1971. His best performances for ''Los Pumas'' came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with a draw with [[France national rugby union team|France]] in 1977, a 24–13 win against [[Australia national rugby union team|Australia]] in 1979, and a 21–21 draw with [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]] in 1985.

In December 2018, Porta was elected as president of Argentine [[sports club]] [[Club Atlético Banco de la Nación Argentina|Banco Nación]], where he spent his entire career as player.<ref>[https://www.espn.com.ar/rugby/nota/_/id/5085909/hugo-porta-es-el-nuevo-presidente-de-banco-nacion Hugo Porta es el nuevo presidente de Banco Nación] on ESPN, 15 Dec 2018</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Porta pumas vs france.jpg|thumb|left|170px|Porta with the national team after a test match against [[France national rugby union team|France]], 1985]]
Porta was born in [[Buenos Aires]]. He played [[association football|football (soccer)]] and almost signed for [[Boca Juniors]] but then changed to rugby union, joining [[Club Atlético Banco de la Nación Argentina|Banco Nación]]. Porta made his debut for Argentina on 10 October 1971 against [[Chile national rugby union team|Chile]] in the starting line up. He earned another three caps that year in games against [[Brazil national rugby union team|Brazil]], [[Paraguay national rugby union team|Paraguay]] and [[Uruguay national rugby union team|Uruguay]]. The following year, Argentina played two games against [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]] in [[Buenos Aires]].

Porta played seven times for the national team the following season, including matches against [[Romania national rugby union team|Romania]] as well as Ireland and Scotland [[Rugby union#Players|XV]]s (non-[[Cap (sport)|cap]]). During the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Argentina played four [[Test match (rugby union)|Tests]] against [[France national rugby union team|France]]. 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, did [[Jean-Michel Aguirre]], who also kicked six penalties.

[[File:Hugo Porta and Sean Fitzpatrick.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Porta (left) with [[Sean Fitzpatrick]] (centre) and Andrew Hunt at the 2008 Laureus Day at Ham Polo Club, London.]]
Porta led Argentina in two matches during October 1978; against an England XV (non-cap) and [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]]. 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 over [[Australia national rugby union team|Australia]] 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 the [[Sudamérica XV|South American Jaguars]] on three tours of South Africa between 1980 and 1984. Following the [[1980 South American Jaguars rugby union tour of South Africa|1980 South America tour]], Porta led Argentina to two victories over [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]], and drew with [[England national rugby union team|England]] in 1981. During the [[1982 South American Jaguars rugby union tour of South Africa|second South America tour in 1982]], South America won the second of the two internationals in [[Bloemfontein]], with Porta scoring all of the 21 points in the victory.<ref>{{cite book|title=Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1982–83|year=1982|publisher=Rothmans Publications Ltd|isbn=0907574130|pages=68–69|editor=Vivian Jenkins|editor-link=Vivian Jenkins}}</ref> Argentina also defeated Australia 18–3 in [[Brisbane]] at [[Ballymore Stadium|Ballymore]] in 1983. Another South American tour took place in 1984. Argentina also defeated France 24–16 in June 1985. Following a 20–33 loss to [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New 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 the [[South African Barbarians]] Club.

Porta led Argentina to the [[1987 Rugby World Cup|1987 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 against [[Ireland national rugby union team|Ireland]], England and [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]. In 1991, he was appointed Argentine Ambassador to South Africa by President [[Carlos Menem]], and in 1994, became Argentina's Minister for Sport.<ref name="hallfame"/> In 2000, his car was [[carjacking|carjacked]] 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 captain [[Will Carling]] included Porta among his list of top ten rugby players of all time.<ref name=carling>{{cite news | title=Will Carling: My 50 top rugby players | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/09/06/nosplit/carling50.xml| access-date=8 September 2007 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | date=13 August 2007}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Former Australian [[Rugby union positions#Fly-half|fly-half]] [[Mark Ella]] wrote of Porta that, "I've never played against a better five-eighth."<ref name="Ella, Mark, Smith, Terry, ''Path to Victory: Wallaby Power in the 1980s'' (Sydney: ABC Enterprises, 1987), p 69. {{ISBN|0 642 52766 0}}.">Ella, Mark, Smith, Terry, ''Path to Victory: Wallaby Power in the 1980s'' (Sydney: ABC Enterprises, 1987), p 69. {{ISBN|0 642 52766 0}}."</ref>

==Honours and awards==
===Club===
;[[Club Atlético Banco de la Nación Argentina|Banco Nación]]
* [[Torneo de la URBA]] (2): 1986, 1989<ref name=mza>[https://www.mdzol.com/mdz/nota/18518 "La exitosa carrera deportiva del gran Hugo Porta", Mendoza Online, 2007-11-24]</ref>
* [[Rugby sevens|Sevens]] championship (4): 1974, 1984, 1987, 1988<ref name=banco/>

===Individual honours===
*[[Olimpia Award|Olimpia de Oro Award]] (for "sportsman of the year" in Argentina): 1985<ref name=banco/><ref name=mza/>
*Olimpia de Plata Award (for "rugby union player of the year" in Argentina): 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982<ref name=mza/>
*Midi Olimpique Magazine: "Best rugby union player of the world" (1985) <ref name=banco/><ref name=mza/>
*Rothmans Yearbook Magazine: "Best [[Rugby union positions#Fly-half|Fly-half]] of the 1980s" (1989).<ref name=banco/>
*Member of the [[International Rugby Hall of Fame|Rugby hall of fame]] of New Zealand.<ref name=banco/>
*[[List of leading international rugby union drop goal scorers|All-time 2nd test player with most drop goals]]: 28<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scrum.com/argentina/rugby/player/7845.html |title=Argentina / Players & Officials / Hugh Porta |work=Scrum.com |accessdate=2009-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/106220.html |title=Ask John: The O'Donnells, the Springboks' Test record and England's worst run against the Tri-Nations |first=John |last=Griffiths |work=Scrum.com |date=2009-11-23 |accessdate=2009-11-29}} The South American Jaguars were a side selected mainly by the [[Argentine Rugby Union]] to play South Africa during that country's period of sporting isolation due to [[apartheid]]. Effectively, they were the Argentina national team, but could not travel as "Argentina" for political reasons. Many sources, including the IRB, now recognise the Jaguars as a Test team and include their statistics in official player totals; ''Scrum.com'' decided to follow suit in November 2009 because, as the cited piece states, "the Jaguar side was raised by a recognised Union".</ref>
*All-time top scorer of Argentina primera división: 301 points <ref name=banco/><ref name=mza/>
*All-time 2nd scorer of [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina national team]]: 590 points (1970–90) <ref>[https://www.clarin.com/deportes/rugby/Contepomi-supero-Porta-goleador-record_0_716328536.html "Contepomi superó a Porta y es el goleador récord"], ''Clarín'', 9 June 2012</ref><ref name=ESPN1>[https://espndeportes.espn.com/news/story?id=1542030&s=rug&type=story "Contempomi, goleador histórico Puma"], ''ESPN'', 9 June 2012</ref>
*Enter to the [[Guinness World Records]] due to having scored seven penalties and a conversion in the same match (in 1982 versus the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]]).<ref name=mza/>

==See also==
* [[International Rugby Hall of Fame]]
* [[IRB Hall of Fame]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Hugo Porta}}
*{{webarchive |date=2012-09-12 |url=https://archive.today/20120912101430/http://www.rugbyhalloffame.com/pages/porta1997.htm |title=Rugby Hall of Fame}}
*[https://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=4491 Sporting Heroes]
* {{World Rugby Hall of Fame|704803}}

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{{succession box | title=''[[Olimpia Award|Olimpia de Oro]]'' | before={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Santos Benigno Laciar]]| years=[[1985 in sports|1985]]| after={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Diego Maradona]]}}
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{{Argentina Squad 1987 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porta, Hugo}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Buenos Aires]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Argentina]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Argentina to South Africa]]
[[Category:Argentine rugby union players]]
[[Category:Rugby union fly-halves]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Argentina international rugby union players]]
[[Category:1987 Rugby World Cup players]]