Valves (AFP)

He was the N.8 of Argentina during the historic victory against the All Blacks and is now enjoying the heyday of Vannes: Rodrigo Bruni will be a major asset for the Breton club during the semi-final of Pro D2 on Sunday against Biarritz.

When the Morbihan club announced in December the arrival of the solid Puma, rugby enthusiasts, like the club's players, were left like two blankets.

"When we saw that, we said + wow, he chose Vannes! +", Laughs the center Kevin Burgaud, a "historic" element of the club.

"Good for us and for the championship because there aren't many players like that ..."

"He arrived as an additional player. After a week, we realized that it was a phenomenon!" Smiles President Olivier Cloarec, praising his "human, sporting, technical and physical" qualities.

Because this solid fellow (1.89 m and 110 kg), brown with a mat complexion, is a pure product of the Argentine training in which he had previously made his entire career.

From a family of four children, originally from Tandil, a town of 120,000 inhabitants south of Buenos Aires, Rodrigo Bruni began when he was 14 years old to feel the oval ball.

He joined La Plata at 20 and the jersey of San Luis, known to be the club of Agustin Creevy, the most selected Puma in history.

At this level, "rugby is still totally amateur in Argentina: I did several odd jobs, bartender, mechanic in a garage or real estate consultant", explains "El Octavo" (number eight) to AFP.

His power, speed and dexterity did not go unnoticed: he donned the blue and white striped outfit of Argentina in 2018, playing the test match against France in Villeneuve-d'Ascq (28-13 defeat), then the World Cup in 2019 in Japan (a match against the USA) before being titular during the famous success in November against New Zealand (25-15).

- One more year -

Quite naturally, in 2018 he joined the Jaguares, the Argentinian franchise competing in Super Rugby and its "hyper-fast" game, as he describes it.

But with the end of the Jaguares' adventure in the Southern Hemisphere Championship, it is towards Europe and France that Rodrigo Bruni sees his future, like many other Pumas.

"Since I was little, I love European rugby and French rugby which is on television in Argentina. And France, and Vannes, are a good place to try your luck", confesses Rodrigo, of a humble character. and reserved, hardworking, and who enjoys surfing near Quiberon.

“I don't know if it's the same everywhere in France, but here in Vannes, people have really been super welcoming to me,” he says.

Because if he does not speak French, he was nevertheless easily able to adapt easily to the hexagonal game, scoring seven tries and saying he was "surprised by the length of the season with 30 matches scheduled before the final stages and the very physical character" of the game practiced.

Proof of his good integration in Morbihan, he decided at the age of 27 to extend his contract.

"Despite the proposals he had from the Top 14 clubs, he agreed to stay an additional year. He has this grateful side for the club that went to look for him for his first experience in France and he is convinced that we will go to the end and reach the highest level ", notes Olivier Cloarec.

As part of the squad retained by Mario Ledesma for the tests against Wales in June and the Rugby Championship (August 14-October 2), Rodrigo Bruni has previously a hell of a challenge: crush the defense of the BO and be part of the first Breton team to join the elite of French rugby.

© 2021 AFP