Felipe Contepomi, born on August 20, 1977, is an Argentine rugby coach and former player. He is currently the backs coach at Leinster Rugby. Contepomi had a successful playing career as a fly-half or centre, representing both his club and the Argentina national team.
Contepomi started his rugby journey at Colegio Cardenal Newman, his secondary school, before joining Club Newman in Buenos Aires. In 2003, he made a move to Leinster from Bristol and played a major role in the team's success.
He played a pivotal role in Leinster's victorious 2005-06 Heineken Cup campaign, scoring 21 points in the final and winning the man of the match award. Contepomi was also the top scorer in both the 2005-06 Celtic League and the Heineken Cup.
Internationally, Contepomi represented Argentina for 15 years, earning 87 caps. He made his debut in 1998 against Chile and became an integral part of the Argentine national team.
He played in the 1999 Rugby World Cup and was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals, marking a historic achievement for Argentina. Contepomi played a key role in Argentina's impressive performance in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, helping the team secure a third-place finish. He was the second-highest points scorer in the tournament.
Contepomi's contributions to Leinster and Argentina earned him recognition and accolades. He was nominated for the IRB Player of the Year award in 2007 and inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2017. During his time with Leinster, he won the Heineken Cup in 2008-09 and the Celtic League in 2007-08.
After retiring, Contepomi moved into coaching with Argentina XV, the Jaguares, and later Leinster as backs coach. In December 2023, he was appointed head coach of Argentina, succeeding Michael Cheika after the Pumas' successful 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign
Career
 |
Argentina Head Coach |
1998 - present |
 |
Bristol Bears Fly Half |
2000 - 2003 |
 |
RC Toulon Fly Half |
2009 - 2011 |
 |
Stade Francais Fly Half |
2011 - 2015 |
 |
Leinster Rugby Coach |
2003 - 2022 |
