MONTPELLIER HAVE ANNOUNCED the signing of highly-rated Italy out-half Paolo Garbisi.
The 21-year-old joins the Top 14 side on a two-year contract from Benetton Treviso, with Garbisi impressing during his first Six Nations championship earlier this year.
Garbisi made his Test debut for Italy against Ireland last October, and been capped 10 times.
He also helped Benetton to an unlikely Rainbow Cup title last month, the Italians beating the Bulls in the final.
Montpellier finished 10th in the Top 14 last season, with the arrival of Phillipe Saint-André as head coach in January resulting in a marked improvement in form.
Le @MHR_officiel, officialise l’arrivée de Paolo GARBISI pour 2⃣ saisons. 🆕
— Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) July 9, 2021
👉 https://t.co/kbWQGwgcJd
Bienvenue Paolo dans la #TeamMHR 🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/coZWEfonFS
Saint-André also led the club to European Challenge Cup success in May.
“Paolo was the best Italian player of the last Six Nations,’ Saint-André said.
“He really wanted to take up the challenge of progressing and playing for a big club. With the departure of Alex Lozowski and Johan Goosen we really needed a player like him, able to play 10, 12, 15.”
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He’s not as disappointed as some on relation to how far off they are? They are miles off. No offence to Munster but they are an average,though very gutsy and committed side,and they have hammers Leinster twice in a row now. I do agree that they haven’t had any continuity with combinations,especially from 9-13,and hopefully when the likes of OBrien, Healy, Moore, Teo, McFadden etc come back then there will be a big improvement.
I must take the opportunity to praise Matt O’Connor for the huge improvement in Guinness Pro12 teams. Ever since he arrived at Leinster, every other team has greatly improved. Teams, that two years ago were almost brushed aside by Leinster, have now reached the heights that Leinster once inhabited alone.
Treviso have improved, Munster have improved, Edinburgh have improved, Scarlets have improved, Dragons have improved, Zebra have improved, Connacht (brilliant tonight, by the way) have improved..
In fact, they have all improved so much that Leinster has great difficulty taking on any of them.
By extension, Wasps and Harlequins have shown just how brilliant they are too due to you Matt.
I can hardly wait to see how much Castres get better when they arrive at the RDS soon. They will build statues in your image all over the town.
Matt, you have done European rugby a great service. They have all reached and surpassed Leinster this season thanks to your input at Leinster and everywhere else.
Thank you Matt and Happy New year!.
(and also to Mr Caputo, the news paper seller. Your influence on all other teams has been exceptional)