Home » Rugby: Ruzza, five years with Treviso. It is the longest contract ever in Italy

Rugby: Ruzza, five years with Treviso. It is the longest contract ever in Italy

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Rugby: Ruzza, five years with Treviso.  It is the longest contract ever in Italy

The second row, strategist of Benetton and Italy not only in touche, is linked to the club until 2028: “I am marrying a life project”. The dt Pavanello: “He deserves it, and we sent a signal to the others”

Simone Battaggia

@sbattaggia

Five-year contract, until 2028. In Italian rugby, no one had ever signed for such a long period. By accepting Benetton’s proposal Federico Ruzza, 28 years old, he defined his own horizon and at the same time paved the way. The Paduan second line is so at the center of the Treviso project – and of that of the national team, after years of ostracism for an alleged physical inadequacy on which he worked a lot anyway – that the filigree agreement reveals that it goes much further, to also embrace the post-career.

Key man

Growing up between Cus Padova (from 6 to 16 years old) and Valsugana, passing through Viadana and the Zebre before arriving in green and white in 2017, the 198 cm by 110 kg number 5 has built over the years, on an unassailable technical base, a rugby proficiency that has few peers. Scientist of touche like his coach Marco Bortolami, interested in every aspect of the game, individual or collective, in attack or defense, Ruzza has become a key man. “Federico deserves it – says Antonio Pavanello, general manager of Benetton -, for the person he is and the player he has become. We wanted to give a signal, make the kids understand that rugby can give you security, allow you to make a project that goes beyond the field. Such a long contract is something we can also offer to others, we have already talked about it to a couple of athletes (in the meantime, the renewal has arrived for the brothers Niccolò and Lorenzo Cannone until 2026, ed). We’ve always liked Ruzza, when he was at Zebre he had the will to get closer to home and we’re happy that with Fir and with the other franchise it was possible to make this transition. His strength was to aspire to the top levels without losing heart, even when it seemed that physically he wasn’t sufficient for the international level. He didn’t give up and we are happy to have helped him. In terms of size, Etzebeth is not, he knows that she has to work hard in the gym and she does it. And then she studies a lot ”. “When we signed, I congratulated Treviso – says Marco Ferrara, the player’s agent -, because he has shown that he knows how to plan for the long term, over five years, like the big industrial companies do. In Italy he is still thinking about 2 or 3 years. Five-year contracts in football are occasionally seen, in volleyball there are some, in rugby it is the first”.

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“Stimulus and Responsibility”

Ruzza thus recounts the genesis of his decision. “I’ve always had a good time in Treviso – he says after a session of physiotherapy and the gym in Ghirada, on the day of rest in view of Saturday’s home match against Bayonne for the Challenge -, in recent years I have made a growth journey with the company and with the staff, personal and sports. I still had a year on my contract but I wanted to stay: if you work well in a club, you marry its goals, it’s important to give continuity. The company has made an act of trust, an important investment for which I feel responsible and which stimulates me”.

The impression is that they have offered her something more, which goes beyond her career as an athlete.

“There may be a thought of this type, this year I started the journey to become a coach. We’ll see, you never know what life has in store for you.”

Preparation is one of its strong points. How does he deal with it?

“Updating is essential, sport evolves, in ours there are differences even compared to five years ago. I watch a lot of games, from different leagues, I’m looking for ideas”.

How is your week going?

You don’t just deal with touche, it’s glaring.

“We have working groups, the defense and attack team, the touchline team, the front lines prepare the scrum… 23 players play, 35-40 players train, everyone has to do their job well. In pro sport it is difficult for the coach to say exactly what to do with the player. The coach gives the line, but everyone must be responsible for preparing for the match.”

You have prepared the last ones well.

“The results help, even if with the Zebras returning there was some crunching in the first half. However, it is true that we have shown that we know how to recover in uncomfortable situations”.

The case of the rotten banana in Traoré certainly didn’t give peace of mind, but the team has since achieved three victories in a row. How did you manage it?

“That day we were summoned by the club, there was a clarification between the two boys involved. We talked about it as a group, we said to each other that certain gestures shouldn’t be repeated, that limits shouldn’t be exceeded, that everyone’s sensitivity should be understood and respected. The situation has now returned, we went through a delicate moment but we overcame it as a team”.

Have you had offers from abroad?

You are on your way to the Six Nations. What can one hope for?

“There is a great desire to go to the meeting and to face the Tournament. Against South Africa the result was bad but we did interesting things in the match and first there were the two victories against Samoa and Australia which gave us good sensations. In the rally we had worked well and when you win the desire is fueled. We know who we are going to play against, but every game must be prepared. The result depends on many things, starting with the work done during the week and in the previous months. Enthusiasm and desire are there, and quality work has been done behind it. A defeat can say as many positive things as a victory can hide a bad performance. Against Australia, if that last second kick had come in we would have lost, but that result would have been a lie, but still that performance, once analyzed, would have said positive things. Of course, sport has always been made up of emotions. But a balance with the objectivity of things is needed”.

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