At #Gaztegiro, we meet students from Somorrostro who also excel outside the classroom – in sport, the arts or any other activity they’re passionate about. Today we’re talking to Bruno González, a Year 12 student in Class 2A, who has found in rugby both a challenge and a path for the future.
Bruno is 17 years old, lives in Castro Urdiales and has been playing rugby since he was 12. He started out at Balleneros de Castro, the club founded by his stepfather, who is also a coach. He’d tried other sports before — basketball, tennis, judo and boxing — but rugby ended up winning him over. “At first I juggled rugby and boxing, and I even ended up playing both sports on the same day. In the end, I much preferred rugby,” he recalls.
This season he has taken an important step: he is on dual registration with Balleneros and Biarritz Olympique in France. He trains with the French team on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and with the Castro team on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Saturdays he usually plays for Biarritz and on Mondays he does CrossFit. “I really do train every day,” he sums up. On the pitch, he plays as a number eight or in the back row, a position that demands speed, strength and constant concentration.
His career already includes a spell with the Cantabrian regional team, for whom he has played for several years, and the Spanish Under-17s. Earlier this year, he took part in a training camp in Valladolid and played a match against Portugal, which ended in a Spanish victory. He regards this experience, for the time being, as the greatest achievement of his career.
He has been surprised by the standard of play in Biarritz: “You have to be on your toes all the time, take action and make decisions. You can’t let up.” He has also appreciated the warm welcome he has received from the team, where his teammates are helping him with his French and doing their best to make him feel part of the team. Bruno is studying the language online because he plans to move there next academic year to study for a Higher National Diploma in Livestock Farming and Agriculture.
Balancing this sporting schedule with his second year of A-levels isn’t always easy. His strategy is to make the most of his lessons to minimise the amount of homework. “It’s tough, but I try to keep up with as much as I can,” he explains.
Bruno dreams of continuing to develop his career in France and one day making it into the Spanish senior national team. In rugby, he finds strength and physical contact, but also a philosophy he particularly values: “It’s a sport involving a lot of strength and physical contact, but respect comes first. On the pitch, you’re not looking to hurt anyone; you’re looking to move forward.” It’s a demanding path that he tackles with enthusiasm, discipline and his sights set on new challenges.
