Couples Championship: Beñat Rezusta and Xabi Tolosa cross their careers

Six months separate the professional debuts of Beñat Rezusta and Xabi Tolosa. The one from Bergara signed for Aspe in June 2013 at the age of 20, while the one from Anoeta made the leap in December at just 18. Almost nine years later, the careers of both will cross tomorrow at the Atano III in Donostia on the occasion of the Tag Team Championship playoff qualifiers. Irribarria accompanies Rezusta and Ezkurdia, to Tolosa.

It could well have happened the other way around in 2013. On May 20, Pentecost Monday, Rezusta and Tolosa met in the Bergara Hiria final. Jaka accompanied the local defender and Navarrese Yoldi, the one from Anoeta. Jokin Altuna and Iker Irribarria, who were 16 years old at the time, also took part in the festival as rivals in the promising category.

Aspe closely followed Tolosa, who was only 17 years old, with a view to a future incorporation. Fernando Vidarte went to see the game. He liked Jaka and Rezusta better, winners 22-8, and he acted fast. He signed the two, who debuted a month later, on June 24, at Astelena in Eibar. The sanbenito left-handed defender was chasing Beñat Rezusta, who took little time to clear up doubts about his progression. This operation did not prevent the Aspe technicians from following the trail of Xabi Tolosa, who was granted the opportunity in December of that same year, at Beotibar in Tolosa.

Separated by two years of age –Rezusta was born in 1993 and Tolosa, in 1995–, the careers of both have run in the same company, except for the short transfer of the bergararra to Baiko for several months during the Couples Championship last year . His trajectories have taken different speeds, fast for one to settle in the elite and slow for another.

Confidence in Toulouse

That does not mean, however, that Rezusta found the immediate support of his rectors. Eleventh day of the 2014 Couples Championship. Saturday, March 1 at the Labrit in Pamplona. Barriola, replaced by Cecilio in previous days, did not recover in time and Aspe hesitated to designate the replacement: Tolosa, who has been a professional for three months, or Rezusta. Both participate in the Promotion.

The company leans towards Anoeta, who makes an excellent impression in his debut as a substitute in Primera. In the company of Irujo, he performed at a good level and won 22-15 over Olaizola II and Aretxabaleta, runners-up in that edition. It seems that there is a defender for the future.

Meanwhile, Rezusta remains unperturbed in the Promotion, whose title is awarded to Jaka after overwhelming Gorka and Merino I 22-4 in the final. The Ezcaray striker blurts out a phrase that is still remembered: “I don’t know what Rezusta is doing playing with us ». Beñat’s followers sing “Rezusta es de Primera” at the Labrit.

The following six months change the trend. While it is difficult for a Tolosa still to take off, an already mature Rezusta assaults the ranks of the box’s defenders. He plays as a starter at the age of 21 for the next Couples Championship, that of 2015, which will be followed by another seven. Between 2016 and 2019 he has four finals and wins two txapelas. During that period he not only discusses with Zabaleta the condition of number one defender, but he achieves it.

Tolosa must wait until he is 26 to debut as a starter, precisely in this edition, in which Rezusta analyzes him like this: «I have seen Xabi well and even better in this final part. Ezkurdia and he went through a streak in which it was difficult for them to win, but not because they gave facilities or played poorly. They were matched for details or for not hitting the last few goals.”

Tolosa praises Rezusta: «He is a huge pelota player. Few possess that power that he demonstrates with his left foot. Zabaleta and he are above the other Aspe defenders ».

In the semifinal group there is only room for one of the two.