Manu Moreno

Full nameManuel Moreno
Born (1998-09-02) 2 September 1998 (age 28)
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight87 kg (192 lb; 13 st 10 lb)
Rugby union career
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–2022 Real Ciencias RC
2023 Monaco Rugby Sevens
2025- Hyderabad Heroes
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2021- Spain 7s
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  Spain
European Games
Bronze medal – third place2023 Kraków–MałopolskaTeam competition

Manuel Moreno (born 2 September 1998) is a Spanish rugby sevens player who plays for the Spanish national rugby sevens team.

Early life

He was brought up in Seville, and played numerous sports as a youngster including tennis, karate and football. He tried rugby union after his older brother Gabi played rugby for Ciencias and had earned a High Performance scholarship after finishing second with his team in the Spanish Championship.

Career

He began playing rugby union for Ciencias Sevilla CR in Seville. He was subsequently called-up to join the Spain national rugby sevens team in the summer of 2020.

He scored the opening try as Spain beat New Zealand at the South Africa Sevens in Cape Town in December 2022. In May 2023, Moreno was chosen among the 14 best rugby sevens players at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Toulouse. He played for Spain at the 2023 European Games.

In May 2025, he was in the Dream Team of the Year for the 2024-25 SVNS. He continued with the Spanish Sevens team and was a try scorer in Spain‘a victory over New Zealand Sevens at the 2026 Canada Sevens, during the 2025-26 SVNS series, also scoring a try in the semi-final against Fiji as Spain finished runner-up to South Africa in the tournament. He was also a try scorer against Australia as Spain reached the semi-finals at the 2026 Hong Kong Sevens.

In July 2026, Moreno was one of the first players announced for the Ultimate Sevens Championship, prior to the inaugural competition launch later that year.

Personal life

He studied medicine alongside his rugby career. He is a keen football fan and a supporter of Real Betis. He has also been employed as a model.

References

  1. ↑ "Manuel Moreno". Its Rugby. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Manu Moreno, the future Sevillian doctor who will play for Spain at the Cartuja stadium". ABC Newspaper. January 28, 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 Bakero, Lorea (29 March 2025). "Manu Moreno, from medical student to rugby 7s star". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  4. ↑ "All Blacks Sevens suffer embarrassing loss to Spain, no issues for Black Ferns Sevens". Stuff.co.nz. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  5. ↑ "CLAUDIA PEÑA, POL PLA, AND MANU MORENO IN WORLD RUGBY'S DREAM TEAM". ferugby.es. May 17, 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  6. ↑ "Men's 7s European Games 2023". rugbyeurope.eu. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  7. ↑ Williamson, Nathan (May 6, 2025). "Levi, Nasser honoured as part of SVNS Dream Team for 2024-25". Rugby.com.au. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  8. ↑ Lee, Henry (7 March 2026). "All Blacks Sevens fall short to Spain as Black Ferns Sevens run riot". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Peerless Blitzboks romp to Vancouver title". svns.com. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "Argentina on course to defend their Hong Kong crown after making semi-finals with Spain, South Africa and New Zealand". svns.com. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Morton, Finn (4 July 2026). "Maddison Levi among first 16 marquee players signed on for Ultimate Sevens". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Kitson, Robert (14 May 2026). "Ultimate Sevens to launch in September as rugby union's £2m answer to the Hundred". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "The 'Manu Moreno phenomenon': rugby player, model, and medical student". Antena3.com. 2 Feb 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  14. ↑ Letonja, Jana. "IN CONVERSATION WITH MANU MORENO & JAIME MATA". Numeronetherlands.com. Retrieved 6 May 2025.