Never ask me my technical opinion about Piacenza Rugby Club beacuse I’m a true fan and I always see red’n’white Piacenza colors among the top italian teams.

But I can say what Piacenza Rugby Club  means to me.

Piacenza Rugby Club  represents our town at the top level of our sport, it’s the place where everything begun. And I cannot imagine thet in our town there might be someone who hate our team: It would be like a son who hates his father.

Piacenza Rugby Club  belongs to all the thousands of guys who have played since 1947 wearing those shirts, who have believed in its good ideals, willing to live toghether both good and bad moments, like in a big family. Piacenza Rugby Club  is deeply rooted in the hart of our town, even if this sense of belonging seldom reflex in the presence of a large public at the matches or in an active partecipation in the team social lives.

Where are all the thousands of young people who since 1947 have been wearing our club colours on the rugby feals all over Italy? I don’t even want to know whose the fault is, because I’ve heard too many complaints. Let’s say that, unfortunately, too often people see Piacenza Rugby Club  more than as “The Local National Team”, as a team to envy and to fight, as peolple usually hate the strongest teams. But this is not the way to built a more and more important association! Separating a big river in a thousand small rivers weakens the river itself.

My hope, and my strong invite to all Piacenza citizens who love sports, rugby and others, is that everyone who knows better ourselves and our story might overcome all kind of separation. Let’s stop polemics, go back to our roots, to our traditions, and let’s start again from the premier league that our guys, with all their heart and their strenght, gained last season during the very last macht, to look forward to new goals. Of course we want always respect that family-character that our founder, Piero Grigioni, has introduced since 1947 and that I think it’s the only way to make a winning team out of our rugby team.

Finally, since we want to dream, let’s imagine a warm and crowdy Betrametti stadium, as it was in the past, packed with nice people who came to support us. I’m not thinging about common people, but about our people, who are so warm and fond of us and ready to play with us as the 16th man on the field, ready to support their heroes in the most difficoult battles. I think they would like to embrace with love all the team, all our society, that represents the town.

I dedicate this hope to you all.

Pietro Mazzoni

President ofl Piacenza Rugby Club

From the book “I miei primi cinquant’anni 1947 - 1997”