Safilo and Carrera Petrarca Rugby together again for the new season
About to hit the field with the same fighting spirit and determination as ever, the team will be called Carrera Petrarca Rugby also for the 2007/2008 season.
In the presence of the directors and a large number of athletes, the official presentation took place yesterday morning during a press conference at Safilo headquarters in Padua.
The season begins Saturday, October 13 at Padua's Plebiscito stadium, with a match against Gran Parma on the first day of the Super 10 (at 4pm). Compared to last season, 12 of the 35 players who were born or grew up in Padua have been confirmed, while five out of the six foreign players have been confirmed: Davis from New Zealand, Argentine winger Martin Acuna, 8 Sisa Koyamaibole and Nicky Little from Fiji, and center Silao Leaega, who played 19 games in the Samoa championships. New faces include Palefau from America, Grimes from Scotland, Italo-Argentine Padrò, and prop forwards Gastaldi and Paletti.
This is the black-and-white team's 60th consecutive season in the top divisions. Promoted to premier league in 1948, Carrera Petrarca has never looked back.
Super 10. The regular season ends May 17. The first four will meet for the play-offs: semifinals May 24 and 31, finals June 7, 2008.
'We are pleased about continuing this collaboration that has gone on for five years', stated Massimiliano Tabacchi, joint managing director of the Safilo Group. 'Safilo was attracted to rugby because it has values that the company shares and makes its own: principles like team spirit, the determination to achieve its aims, and loyalty to colleagues.'
'We are keen to start the season', was the comment by Carrera Petrarca Rugby president Fulvio Lorigiola. 'The Safilo Group has been at our side for five years and this makes us more confident about future challenges. We come from a prestigious season in which all the teams - without exclusion - fought to the end for the category title. After last year's brilliant result of reaching the semifinals, now we must demonstrate that we are mature and can take the responsibility as protagonists of the season.'
During the conference, the official team jerseys were also presented, in the same colors - black and white - as last year. The athletes' official sunglasses are Carrera Keramiko. Wraparound and streamlined, the injected sun model has polarizing lenses and is personalized with the famous 'C' logo in relief at the start of the temples.
The subscription for the entire season, which includes the Super 10 matches and the Italy Cup, costs 150 euros. The company has also confirmed free entry for women, under 16s, and under 18s with the FIR card. The first one thousand supporters to subscribe will receive a gift of a mobile phone.
