Partnership between Bandeirantes, from São Paulo, and the Saracens FC, from England, allows a club player to train for a month in one of the best teams in the world
The unprecedented partnership established in December 2013 between the Bandeirantes Rugby and Saracens FC,will take for the first time a young Brazilian athlete to train for thirty days on the mighty English club. The Bandeirantes Saracens player Gabriel Paganini from São Paulo, aged 21, is selected for the exclusive exchange by the coaches of Band-Sarries coaches, nickname adopted by Bandeirantes after partnering with the English club.
Gabriel lives in expectation for the travel scheduled for this Saturday, July 4th, but despite having had only brief contact with members of Saracens FC, he is confident to take this unique opportunity. “I’ve never been to London, but I’m sure I’ll be welcomed. I’m very eager to absorb and learn as much as possible”, projects the player who will be in England while on vacations from his Physical Education course and in the gym where he works.
Gabriel started in rugby at just 17 years, but his talent emerged and led him to the Brazilian National team in a short time. ” I’ve always watched various sports on TV and one of my favorites was the Rugby. Someday the staff of the Bandeirantes Saracens went to my College Beatíssima to present the club and the sport. Then I started training with them days later at 17, and at 18 I was selected to the Under-19 national team”, says Gabriel, who defends Band-Sarries since 2009.
Multipurpose Athlete occupies Ibirapuera club field positions as ‘flanker’ or ‘number 8′, functions that require physical strength and creativity. This flexibility can contribute to the testing period in Sarracens FC. “It’s a privilege to play in the country that created the rugby and brought the sport to Brazil along with football. There, the style of play and the level is much higher. But if I adapt well, they can offer me a contract to stay at the club”, is expecting the 1.92m and 101 Kgs athlete.
Recently, Gabriel met with the coach Paul Gustard, responsible for training of defense Saracens FC, which was a finalist in this year’s Heineken Cup against Toulon in Cardiff, Wales. As a player, Gustard was five times winner of the Aviva Premiership (English Premiership) and also the Heineken Cup, Paul came to Brazil in early June to present a clinic for Band-Sarries coaches and undertake specific training for each category of club: Kids, Juniors, Adults and Women’s.
“It’s not every day that an Brazilian has the opportunity to occupy space in European professional rugby. Partnership with Saracens will provide this benefit to Saracens athletes. Most important is that there is a very strong identification of values between the two clubs. the principles that guide us, as the respect for the club shirt, the opponents and the passion for the sport, caused us to adopt this project initially for three years”, says Antonio Martoni Neto, CEO of Band-Sarries.
“We seek for those who excelled in this season. Gabriel has an excellent preparation to face and overcome the tests to be made in England, both in the physical and technical aspects of the game”, praised Martoni. “Eventually he can even continue there”. Before the partnership with the Bandeirantes to expand its brand in Brazil, the Saracens FC, as one of the leading teams in world rugby, had already established similar agreements with teams from Kenya, Tonga, Russia, UAE and Malaysia. The growing interest by the Brazilian Rugby and the fact that the country is to host the 2016 Olympics also influenced.
Original text in Portuguese by Ary Pereira Jr. (ZDL Comunicação): zdl.com.br, translation by Marcelo Bellório.
Photo: Dani Mayer (FOTOJUMP): fotojump.com.br
