It was a season we won’t forget.
It began in July 2023, a few weeks after the historic promotion from Serie C to B, with the arrival in Gubbio of the new coach Joe McDonnell, that Joe McDonnell! All Blacks, winner of a championship as a coach with Rovigo, a HUGE experience and knowledge of rugby!
Training, athletic preparation, skills, plays. Joe meticulously sets up each phase of the game, trying it over and over again.
We are in Serie B for the first time and we don’t know what to expect, “they say” that compared to last year it will be a completely different rugby.
In October we take to the field, first match against the Formigine Highlanders and Rugby Gubbio wins!
Setback against Siena but then two consecutive victories against Livorno and Florence.
It can be done, we can aspire to salvation, which as an objective for a newly promoted team is no small feat.
Rugby Gubbio is officially a Serie B team.
The matches follow one another and the list of injuries grows longer. The impacts of the game are many, hard, always recovering to 100% is difficult.
Colorno, Bologna and Modena, very difficult matches, we need them to gain experience.
Then the Pieve miracle, at home, 27-24 for us.
Rugby Gubbio is officially a Serie B team, which commands respect.
Then the mockery of Jesi and Formigine, lost 22-21 to the former and 3-0 to the latter. We’re doing great at home, the away games are important.
We lose in Livorno but win at home against Florence.
Colorno, Bologna and Modena, again very difficult matches, once again we need them to gain experience.
But after Modena, with three days to go, mathematics says that we are safe, it is impossible for Formigine to close the gap.
We had a good time in Serie C, we’re staying!
Well done Wolves, really good. And thank you all!
The last match against Jesi? We won, 29-27, with tries from Francesco Giorgini, Samuel Giacomini and the whole scrum, Davide Gioè and at the end, a beautiful try from two U18s in their first match in Senior, Riccardo Fioriti who supported the final pass to Giovanni Piobbichi who crushes in goal. Compliments!
For Rugby Gubbio the following took the field: Riccardo Tomassoli, Alessio Ghirelli, Francesco Giorgini, Lorenzo Crotti ©, Giovanni Di Fiore, Lorenzo Floridi, Davide Gioè, Lorenzo Urbanelli, Federico Sonini, Francesco Paciotti, Nicola Bellucci, Sebastiano Capannelli, Samuel Giacomini, Giuseppe Casagrande (vC), Filippo Ferranti, Mattia Scotti, Ayoub Mafrouh, Marco Cecchetti Jonathan Rafael Scarpa, Roberto Rogari and, making their First Team debut, Riccardo Fioriti and Giovanni Piobbichi.
Lorenzo Urbanelli, number 8, was elected Rugby Gubbio Man of The Match. The award was kindly offered by the Castel D’Alfiolo farm in Padule, Gubbio, with the new Venturae wine.
This is how all the Championships end: U16, U18 Centauri and Serie B. Congratulations to everyone.
Rugby Gubbio obviously doesn’t stop. Upcoming events are the Lupo Minirugby Tournament in Gubbio and then the Summer Centre.
A little rest for the players and then we start preparing for the next season.
Thanks to all the people who followed us, cheered us on and helped us. Thanks to all the athletes of all categories, thanks to the coaches, managers, collaborators, volunteers, friends, thank you!!!
Place: Rugby field, Via Vito Schifani, SNC, GUBBIO, PERUGIA, UMBRIA
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