After a final season which ended below expectations with 5th place in the championship and elimination in the Playoffs scudetto on the Viadana side, the Rugby Colorno a new cycle begins starting from a renewed technical staff, after three years away Casellato, Frati and also the historic scrum coach Cristian Prestera (3 promotions and 2 championships in 19 years) to make room for the new head coach Gonzalo Garciato confirmed Edd Thrower and to the beginner Oliviero Fabianithese are the three technicians who will lead HBS Colorno from next season Serie A Elite 2024/25.
Gonzalo Garcia in Italy he wore the shirts of Calvisano, Benetton and Zebre, becoming Italian Champion with the Brescia team in 2008 and with the Treviso team in 2010. In 2017 he began his career as a coach with Marista (Argentina), winning the championship in 2019, immediately after returning in Italy where for three seasons he held the role of technical manager of the Lyons Piacenza, from the 2022/23 season he became coach of the Fir Academy with the Zebre while holding the position of coach of the threequarters of the Italia U18 and Italia Emergenti.
The first statements from HBS Colorno coach Gonzalo Garcia:
“I’m becoming part of a beautiful reality where I immediately perceive a lot of possibility of doing well, I’m getting to know a well-organised structure that also does an excellent job with the youth teams. The first team group is well mixed, I see many technically interesting players on whom we can make a good development project. I am here to help the players as much as possible in their rugby and personal growth, giving Rugby Colorno the opportunity to continue to compete at the highest level possible.”
Oliviero Fabiani, scrum coach of HBS Colorno:
“I am happy with the task entrusted to me and I accept the challenge with great enthusiasm. I’ve always wanted to be a coach, I studied a lot for this but to be honest I didn’t expect such an immediate leap. I thank the company for the opportunity given to me. For me it will be a great responsibility to replace Cristian Prestera, a person who made the history of the club. I will work hard and I add that I am happy to be able to collaborate with Gonzalo and Edd: Gonzo was my captain at Zebre, a reference, finding him again is a great pleasure. Edd has an important experience in top-level rugby. Working together with them gives me great motivation.”
Stefano Romagnoli, Technical Director of Colorno Rugby:
“A new cycle begins with Gonzalo Garcia, a person whose seriousness I have always appreciated, first as a player and then as a coach. I am convinced he can do well here in Colorno, with him we need to recover a serene environment and give new stimuli to the team.” “He will be supported by the confirmed Edd Thrower and Olly Fabiani, a young coach who has just hung up his boots but who has already demonstrated passion, competence and the right personality to become a good coach. The staff will be made up of three figures of different character but well motivated on an individual and collective level”.
