The Spanish men's rugby sevens team has chosen the island of La Palma for its training camp ahead of the HSBC SVNS Series 2026, which kicks off at the end of November in Dubai. The team, the reigning world runners-up, has found the Canary Islands to be the perfect setting for two weeks of physical, technical, and mental preparation before their international debut.
The archipelago continues to consolidate its position as a leading European destination for high-performance training.
While much of Europe trains in the rain and cold, the Spanish men's rugby sevens team has found the ideal setting for its preseason in La Palma. For two weeks, the Lions 7s are training on the island in an environment that combines stable weather, tranquility, and top-notch facilities before traveling to Dubai, where they will make their debut in the HSBC SVNS 2026 circuit.
The team, led by Paco Hernández, arrived on the island with a clear objective: to repeat—and improve upon—the historic runner-up finish at the World Championships last season in Los Angeles. “What we did last year was historic. Now we want to take it a step further. We dream of a gold medal, of winning at least one tournament for the first time,” says the national coach. “Training in an environment like this allows us to focus on the essentials: work, rest, and nutrition. Everything here is conducive to performance,” he adds.
During their stay, the Leones 7s combine field sessions, strength training in the gym, tactical analysis, and active recovery in an unparalleled natural environment. “Players who train in a place like this are happy and focused, and that translates directly into improved performance,” adds Manu García Sillero, the team's physical trainer.
The perfect setting for high performance
With average temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius, more than ten hours of daylight, and atmospheric stability that allows for uninterrupted training, the Canary Islands have established themselves as Europe's leading destination for athletic training. These natural conditions, combined with the network of facilities distributed throughout the archipelago, make it possible for elite athletes and national teams from various disciplines to find the ideal environment to optimize their performance.
In the case of the Leones 7s, the choice of La Palma is part of a specific strategy. The climate, the island's tranquility, and its natural surroundings offer ideal conditions for a training camp focused on quality training and recovery. "The climate here is very similar to what we'll find in Dubai, a bit less hot, but the conditions are very similar," explains Paco Hernández. "The competition is extremely tough, both physically and mentally," comments player Jeremy Trevithick. "Being in a place where everything flows, where the body and mind rest, is probably the best way to prepare." It's not just about training more, but about training better.
The Canary Islands' commitment to elite sport
The Spanish rugby sevens team's training camp in La Palma is part of the Canary Islands Tourism strategy to position the archipelago as a leading destination for professional sports tourism, a growing segment that combines sustainability, international visibility and reducing seasonality.
The Minister of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jéssica de León, emphasizes that with the presence of the Leones7s “we are projecting the Canary Islands internationally as the ideal setting for professional sports practice at the highest level thanks to our stable climate, our specialized facilities and the destination's ability to combine sport, nature and physical recovery.”
For his part, the managing director of Tourism of the Canary Islands, José Juan Lorenzo, explained that with this initiative “we not only transmit values that our destination shares with these players, such as effort, commitment, respect and teamwork, but we also position ourselves as an innovative brand with the ability to anticipate by betting on an emerging sport that reaches new audience profiles.”
Next stop: Dubai
On November 29, Spain will make its debut in the HSBC SVNS 2026 against Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
They will arrive with the confidence of those who have worked tirelessly under the Atlantic sun, with clear minds. They will also be motivated to maintain the level achieved last season, when they established themselves among the world's rugby powers. "We want to maintain that level for the next few years, until the next Olympic cycle. Our goal is to qualify for the next Olympic Games," says Juan Ramos, the team captain.
In modern rugby, as in elite sport, the road to victory doesn't begin with the match. It begins with the place you choose to prepare. And there's no other destination in Europe like the Canary Islands.
