For the next couple of weeks, Rugby Europe will be interviewing some of the rising stars of the teams competing in the Men’s Rugby Europe U18 and U20 Championship to figure out their goals, playing style and much more.
Gabriel Fernandez will lead Switzerland in the Rugby Europe U20 Championship and gave his views about his team and himself.
Gabriel, welcome! What can you tell us about Switzerland? What goals have you set?
As a team we want to get as far as possible in the competition since we’ve been working together for years to get ready for this moment. We want to show what Swiss Rugby is made of and put up a good performance.
How would you present yourself to the fans? How is your style of play, at what do you excel more and what can you promise to do in the competition?
GF: I would like the fans to see me as a leader who wants to guide the team to victory through ferocity and fair play, helping them individually and collectively to do the highest performance possible in this tournament. My style of play is to be simple and efficient, no need to train a hundred techniques one time but train one technique a hundred times.
I would say my strong attribute is my communication and game analysis with a well-trained technique. I can promise to guide my team throughout the whole competition and never let anyone down, also to never stop trying to get the best result possible for every match.
How has rugby been important for you?
GF: I started playing rugby when I was 7 years old and since then it’s been an important part of my life, be it on and off the field. I believe in its values very strongly such as humility, resilience and friendship, and I try to stay true to them in every aspect of my life.
Do you have any individual objectives that you would like to achieve in the competition?
GF: Having come this far after so many years of work to be a better rugby player every day with the sacrifices that entails is already a goal achieved in my career, even so I want to continue progressing. I am very proud of the team we are on and off the field in this Rugby Europe Championship 2024. As an individual objective, I would like to give the best of myself for my team and for my country in every moment.
What message would you like to share with your team’s fans?
GF: I would like to thank all those who never let the team down, in good or bad situations. I will promise them that we will give the best of ourselves on every single run, pass, or tackle and that we will be thinking about them on every action. HOPP SCHWIIZ.
Fernandez won’t be alone in the Swiss star player showroom, as Maxime Geller and Tito Macchi are two players that you should get to know better.
Maxime Geller (U20 / tighthead prop): a prop that you should avoid doing an arm-wrestle challenge with, as Maxime Geller is one of the strongest players in the Swiss roster and even from the Rugby Europe Championship U20 nations. His scrummaging skills are one of his best features and will help boost Switzerland’s chances of doing an upset.
Tito Macchi (U20 / wing): one of Switzerland’s most promising backs, Tito Macchi has all the required skills to make a name for himself in the 2024 Men’s Rugby Europe Championship. His electrifying pace combined with his eely agility will create good try-opportunities for his team.
By Francisco Isaac
Photos: Martin Flousek
