Álvar Gimeno
Full nameÁlvar Gimeno Soria
Date of birth (1997-12-15) 15 December 1997
Place of birthValencia, Spain
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight92 kg (203 lb; 14 st 7 lb)
SchoolSt. Thomas of Canterbury College
UniversityTechnical University of Madrid
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Fly-half
Current team Valladolid
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017 Complutense Cisneros 27 (33)
2017– Valladolid 47 (80)
2019–2021 Béziers 25 (10)
Correct as of 24 April 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016 Spain U20 3 (0)
2016– Spain 24 (15)
Correct as of 6 November 2021

Álvar Gimeno Soria ([xiˈmeno]; born 15 December 1997) is a Spanish professional rugby union footballer who plays as a centre for Spanish rugby club Valladolid and the Spain national team. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championships for Spain and took part in CAU Rugby Valencia age grade representatives teams during secondary school.

Early life

Álvar Gimeno Soria was born on 15 December 1997 in Valencia, the son of Yolanda Soria and Toni Gimeno.[1] Gimeno and his parents migrated to New Zealand when he was twelve-years-old after his father pursued the sport rugby union in the country.[1] Settling in Christchurch, he attended St Thomas of Canterbury College where he excelled in sports playing for the Burnside under-12 rugby side and being personally coached by former Spain international, David Monreal.[2]

Professional career

2015–17

Gimeno during Spain vs. Russia, February 2017

Due to studying INEF at the Technical University of Madrid, Gimeno signed with Complutense Cisneros.[3] He made his professional debut in the División de Honor competition at 17-years-old.[4] He made the match-day fifteen at fly-half against Pozuelo at Valle de las Cañas in September 2015.[5] Gimeno became the youngest rugby player to debut in the league.[5] He reached the semi-finals after overcoming a narrow 25–23 quarter-final victory over Santboiana during the 2015–16 season.[6] Gimeno later sustained an injury after the pain and discomfort that accompanied him throughout the Cisneros campaign and decided to undergo surgery.[7]

Gimeno gained selection honours after being announced in the 27-man Spain national team on 31 May ahead of the 2016 World Rugby Nations Cup.[8] He was one of six potential debutants named.[9] Unavailable to injury, Gimeno was replaced by Jaime Mata and would miss selection in the national squad for the remainder of their campaign in Bucharest, Romania.[10] He was called up for a second time with the national team to play the first friendly match of the 2016 end-of-year internationals against Tonga.[11] He debuted for Spain alongside Matthew Foulds, Kalokalo Gavidi and Fabien Perrin in November, replacing Thibaut Alvarez off the bench in the 69th minute.[12] Gimeno received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in his second test match against Uruguay.[13]

In September 2016, Gimeno returned to play for Complutense Cisneros in the opening week of the 2016–17 División de Honor season against Ciencias Rugby Sevilla.[14] At season's end, he scored three career tries and featured in the playoffs against Santboiana.[15] His performance at domestic level saw his inclusion in the Spain national sevens team in preparation for the 2017 Hong Kong Sevens qualification tournament.[16]

While there was interest from other professional clubs for Gimeno, he signed a deal with Valladolid after coach Diego Merino Rodríguez confirmed the signing in May 2017.[17] He made his first professional appearance for Valladolid starting in the outside centre position against Barcelona after defeating the side 35–18 in early September.[18] The following week, Gimeno's second consecutive match, he scored his first try for the club during 2017–18 season against Hernani at Landare Toki.[19] Gimeno attributed to Valladolid's División de Honor campaign and their championship and top of the table success after being selected in the side's starting lineup at centre.[20] It was the club's seventh title win.[21]

2018–present

Statistics

ClubYearCompetitionGPGSTRYCONPENDGLPTSWL%Yellow cardRed card
Complutense Cisneros 2015–16 División de Honor 161612011275.0000
2016–17 111033002172.7300
Valladolid 2017–18† 2117900045100.0010
2018–19† 191470003578.9500
2021–22 860000062.5000
Béziers 2019–20 Pro D2 1080000070.0020
2020–21 151420001040.0010
Castilla y León Iberians 2021–22 Rugby Europe Super Cup 440000050.0000
Career 104892250112373.0840

Updated: 24 April 2022 Source: Álvar G Soria Rugby History

List of international test tries

TryDateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
1 25 November 2017 Rugby Club, Villajoyosa, Spain Brazil 67–28 (Won) Brazil Tour
2 3 March 2019 Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid, Spain Romania 21–18 (Won) Rugby Europe Championship
3 10 March 2019 Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid, Spain Belgium 47–9 (Won) Rugby Europe Championship

Updated: 15 April 2021 Source: Álvar G Soria Statsguru

References

  1. 1 2 Chente Oliver (28 December 2015). "Àlvar, the great promise of Spanish rugby". Levante. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  2. ↑ David Monreal Izquierdo (19 April 2018). "Experiencia por Nueva Zelanda con esencia española". Sexto Anillo (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "Álvar Gimeno ficha por Cisneros". Scream of Rugby (in Spanish). 3 August 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Alvar Gimeno, juventud y talento para el VRAC 2017/2018". VRAC Quesos Entrepinares (in Spanish). 4 August 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. 1 2 Jesús Garcia Ruiz (16 August 2018). "Álvar Gimeno, Un Futuro Prometedor En El Rugby Español". Vip Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  6. ↑ Gregorio García (15 May 2016). "Bathco y Cisneros se cuelan en las semifinales". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  7. ↑ Adrián Rubio (12 August 2016). "Àlvar Gimeno: una historia de rugby". YoSoy Noticia (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  8. ↑ "Convocatoria para la Nations Cup 2016". FERugby (in Spanish). 31 May 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  9. ↑ Adrián Rubio (31 May 2016). "El toque valenciano en la World Rugby Nations Cup 2016". YoSoy Noticia (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  10. ↑ "JAIME MATA SUSTITUYE A ALVAR GIMENO EN LA NATIONS CUP". Rugby Alcala (in Spanish). 2 June 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  11. ↑ "Álvar Gimeno, formado en el CAU Rugby Valencia, convocado por primera vez por la selección absoluta". Las Provincias (in Spanish). 4 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  12. ↑ "Spain vs. Tonga". ESPN Scrum. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  13. ↑ "Uruguay Comfortably Beaten by Spain". Americas Rugby News. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  14. ↑ "El Ciencias no fue rival para el Cisneros". Deportivo El Decano (in Spanish). 17 September 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  15. ↑ "Alcobendas y Santboiana se toman la revancha y logran el billete para semifinales". Marca (in Spanish). 15 May 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  16. ↑ Gregorio García (23 January 2017). "El Seven masculino empieza a trabajar pensando en Hong Kong". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  17. ↑ "ALVAR GIMENO SEGUIRÁ SUS ESTUDIOS EN VALLADOLID Y JUGARÁ EN EL VRAC". Rugby Alcala (in Spanish). 29 May 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  18. ↑ "El VRAC Quesos Entrepinares remonta al Barcelona". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 17 September 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  19. ↑ Departamento de Prensa (24 September 2017). "El VRAC funde al Hernani con una explosiva segunda parte". VRAC Quesos Entrepinares (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  20. ↑ Departamento de Prensa (25 May 2018). "Convocatoria VRAC". VRAC Quesos Entrepinares (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  21. ↑ Departamento de Prensa (26 May 2018). "18-12: Manda el VRAC". VRAC Quesos Entrepinares (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2019.
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