The ‘Lions‘they already visualize Paris. From June 21 to 23 they will seek to get the last ticket available to play the Olympic Games this summer, but the players of the men’s rugby 7 team are clear: “We are calm, the work is already done“, it states Tobías Sainz-TrápagaSevens player, to EL PERIÓDICO.
At the beginning of the month, they managed to revalidate their permanence in the World Seriesthe most important competition in this sport and from which they currently accumulate their seventh consecutive season among the best in the world.
And now, since last week, they are focused on the CAR from Sant Cugat and on Monday they will travel to Monaco to compete in the pre-Olympic tournament in which they will face 12 other national teams, among which are renowned teams such as South Africa, Canada and Great Britain. “We arrived very well prepared physically, we are training very well. We are a well-prepared team, we move the ball well, we conserve well and we are in a very good playing and individual moment,” he assures. Asier Perez.
Last year, after a change in the staff and coaches, the team was presented with the opportunity to start a consolidated project and more professionalized from the hand of one of its sponsors, Málaga Costa del Sol. “Since rugby is an Olympic sport, the federation has been betting very hard on us and that has allowed us to create a very professional environment, which is what we needed. Thanks to that bet, the results are being noticed”, says Tobías.
The Games in mind
“With the Olympic games in mind and it being a more difficult year in terms of sporting challenges, we all moved to Malaga. Since then, we can train together daily and we don’t have weeks of rest,” explains Asier Pérez. “It has made us improve a lot as a team On and off the field. There is a very good relationship between everyone, we are playing better and this has helped us a lot to move up a notch as a team,” says the second row.
The entire season has been organized with the aim of getting a place in Paris, and the players do not hide their excitement. “For many of us They would be the first Games, and we are ambitious. Furthermore, having teammates and even coaches who have been olympic It gives you a lot of strength to fight,” he says. Juan Martinez. Alberto Socías in front of the Seven, and Paco HernandezOlympian in Rio 2016 and coach of the men’s team, marked the line to follow for this season.
His sports leadership together with the growing media exposure derived from the ‘boom’ they recently experienced on social networks, they are opening a new horizon for this minority sport in Spain. “On and off the field, everyone has their role and their way of contributing to the team. We all form a gear”, says Juan Martínez. “It is noticeable that there are more and more interest. I hope it continues like this and that will attract the attention of more players and children and attract people who want to try this sport,” he highlights. Jaime Manteca.
media explosion
Javier Alonsohead of Social Media, and Javier Izquierdoaudiovisual manager, have been the ones who have known how to give the players’ daily life that viral touch. In just over two weeks, the Tik Tok account of the Spanish Rugby Federation has gone from having 30,000 followers to more than 160,000, overtaking accounts such as that of the Spanish Basketball Federation, for example.
“The networks are giving us the exposure we deserved. What we do is awesome and people are seeing it. rugby is a sport extreme”, says Tobías. Until now, the lack of media exposure also meant less possibilities of sponsorship, something that with social networks is beginning to be reversed. “This is allowing us make ourselves known to people, brands and companies “that they can help us in some way,” highlights Asier Pérez.
Sevens players have a professional contract with the national team, but they are not part of any club because the commitments of the World Series They imply complete dedication and in some way, they only have the sponsors of the team. “Today, we do not have sponsors At an individual level, we do not charge anything beyond our contract with the national team. Maybe with this network thing someone who has become more ‘famous’, like Manu Morenothat could achieve something and open the way,” says Tobías.
