Marcus O'Buachalla

[Blueberry]

Just read this on the URC Website from Marcus - what a beautifully written peace, hats off to him.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/pro1 ... re-in-pace

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Leo Mussini – Riposare in Pace


When I first started in my role with Leinster Rugby in early 2014, there was a lot of learning to be done.

There is no manual for how to lead a communications team really. In a professional sporting organisation, even less so and you just hope that the skills you have acquired over the years have equipped you for the role, but really, it’s a shot into the unknown.

Or it was for me anyway. The early days?

You try as best you can to build trust internally and then hope that you can leave a positive impression on those external to the organisation when they engage with the club online or through traditional media.

However, very quickly I realised that at least twice a month, at away games, there was a cheat sheet and I would be exposed to some brilliant communications professionals, some of whom were far more experienced than I, and that their advice would be free and quite often delivered with a pasty, a pie or even a glass of prosecco. Those early days and the shared experiences were brilliant.

Time spent in the company of Ben in Cardiff, Neil in Belfast, Fiona in Limerick, Peter in Swansea, Federico, Katie, Jeremy, Nerys, Louise.

One of the best lessons that I learned is that very little that we can do as a communications professionals matter in terms of the 80 minutes on the pitch. But we can do a hell of a lot of positive work away from the pitch to promote the club and the organisation that we work for and we should never let the results dictate our definition of success.

The team will do what they do best and you, well, you just have to do your best off the field, and represent the club as best you can. Take pride in your work, in your words but also in how you carry yourself and be an ally for the men and the women that pull on the Leinster blue. And that is what Leo Mussini taught me.

Leo was the Head of Marketing & Communications at Zebre since 2012 and in fact, as I learned this week, he set up that department originally. He had seen it all during that time with Zebre, but he always put his and the club’s best foot forward and it was pure joy to be in his company and to learn from him and to see the passion that burned so bright inside him.

Leo died suddenly at the end of September at the age of 41. Normally ahead of a game like today (Leinster v Zebre Parma), Leo and I would be in communication during the week. How can I help you? Anything you need ahead of Saturday? What’s the plan for media pre and post-match? Do you need help with imagery, videography?

No ask was too big or too small and there was even the time I managed to get him an adaptor in Dublin airport as the beer fridge that had been sent to Italy didn’t have the right plug attached!

And then, when the business was done, how are you, my friend? That is the way it always was with Leo. “Marcus, my friend, how are you?” He cared for and was interested in people.

Over in Parma, his hospitality was legendary – “Marcus, my friend, prosecco after the game?” – and it is a huge regret now of mine as I think back to Leinster’s last trip in March that we were denied any time together.

Simone del Latte – his number two – did a great job in Leo’s absence but it wasn’t the same.

Because time in Leo’s company was good craic, in fact, it was great craic. At home, away or at various launches and awards, he was great company and regardless of what happened on the field, you couldn’t meet a more passionate advocate for the game of rugby in Zebre or indeed, in Italy. So, I dropped him a note. “Missed you at the weekend fella?”

And that is when he first mentioned that he had been ill. He wasn’t sure what was up exactly, he mentioned pneumonia, maybe, he mentioned Covid-19, maybe, but he also mentioned that they didn’t find serious disease and ultimately that the doctors were at a loss to explain what had him so poorly. But typical of Leo, he signed off by saying he had faith in the doctors and even more so, he took quite a bit of comfort in the knowledge that “after nine years Zebre can run a matchday without me!”

And they did. Simone did a brilliant job at running that matchday without Leo but not for one minute did I think that I wouldn’t be in his company again at a game. This week I have reached out to Simone, as all of us in the other teams have, to see if we can help at all.

Because no doubt Simone and the Zebre and Italian rugby family are missing Leo far more than I or we ever will. They are in our thoughts this weekend as they make their first trip abroad since Leo died.

I am grateful for all the shared experiences I have had with Leo, but my heart breaks for his partner Elisa, his family and his close friends. 41 is far too young to lose anyone.

As I read more and more about Leo this past week, I saw he had a deep interest in music, in DJing and collecting old vinyl records but what my reading also kept bringing me back to, was rugby, and to Zebre. He didn’t post much on social media but his posts were all about his two passions in life. Music. Rugby.

And the rugby images used?

Launch days and nights out in the company of the crazy band of brothers and sisters that work in the various communications teams across European rugby.

Those bonds and the people he met along his wonderful rugby journey with Zebre, mattered more to him than the results.

His final WhatsApp message to me was before the final of the Guinness PRO14. “Bring my greetings and best luck to the final. Also to Leo and Mick Dawson.”

A mark of the man.

Thinking of those he had met along the way and wishing them well in the game to come.

Codladh sámh Leo. Ní bheidh do leithéid arís ann.

[hugonaut]

Touch of class from Marcus. God bless that poor fella and his family – from everything I've seen, heard or read since his untimely passing, he was a much loved guy.

[riocard911]

Excellent piece by Marcus. Thanks for sharing Hugonaut.