**Club centurions Alessandro Zanni, Dean Budd and Marco Fuser are all set to leave Benetton Rugby – wonderful servants who have helped power the club to new heights.** All will be sad to see these warriors end their Benetton journey, and indeed that of fellow departures Ian McKinley, Tito Tebaldi, Nasi Manu, Engjel Makelara and Antonio Rizzi – but for now, let us celebrate one of their greatest ever achievements, and of Italian rugby’s. Zanni, 36, is set to join the club’s staff while Budd, he of 115 Benetton appearances, acknowledged in his statement the fine achievements of last season, when the club beat Zebre in Round 21 to become the first ever Italian side to reach the Final Series. “I’m proud to have represented this country internationally,” Budd said. “To have had the privilege of being captain of the national team in a World Cup match, of having played with Benetton in a historic qualification for the Guinness PRO14 quarter-finals.” # **IN REACH OF HISTORY** Prior to the match-up with Zebre, Benetton had worked themselves within striking distance of the Final Series with a brilliant season – fighting inch by inch to stay above Scarlets and Edinburgh.
