Mario Ledesma

Mario Ledesma

Full name	Mario Ezequiel Ledesma Arocena
Date of birth	(1973-05-17) May 17, 1973
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	110 kg (17 st 5 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Hooker
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1990–2001 2001–2003 2003–2005 2005–	Curupaytí Narbonne Castres Clermont	??? 030 034 108	??? 0(10) 00(0) 0(60)
correct as of May 22, 2010.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1996–	Argentina	065	0(15)
correct as of May 22, 2010.

Mario Ledesma Arocena (born 17 May 1973 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the French club ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14 competition. He also previously played for another French club, Castres Olympique, Narbonne and Curupaytí club in Argentina. Ledesma has also played for the Argentina national team, including being a part of their 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 squads. His usual position is at hooker.

Career

Ledesma during 2011 RWC

Ledesma was an under-19 and student international for Argentina during the early years of his career. He made his international debut against Uruguay in 1996. He played one other match in 1996, against Canada. He then became a regular in the Argentina team, and even captaining them against Japan in September 1998. He played numerous games during the 1999 World Cup in Wales.

He won over 10 caps in the build up to the 2003 World Cup in Australia, where he played in numerous games, including the tournament opener against the Wallabies at Telstra Stadium, Sydney. He went on the November tours in both 2004 and 2005, and was a part of the team that defeated Wales in the home Test series during June 2006.

Ledesma is one of many unsung and underrated Argentinian professional rugby players. Through much of the millennium decade and into Argentina's impressive 2007 RWC, he was considered one of the world's top hookers for his workrate, mobility, lineout throwing and pivotal set-piece leadership.

At the 2011 World Cup, Ledesma was one of the leaders of Los Pumas' pack. At the Pool stages, Argentina came 2nd, losing only to England. The Daily Telegraph considered Ledesma as one of the best in his position at the 2011 World Cup.^[1] On 9 October 2011, Mario played his last game on a Pumas jersey, against the New Zealand All Blacks, in what was Argentina's elimination from the World Cup.

Family

Ledesma comes from a sporting family. His younger brother Pedro Ledesma recently signed with the French club Stade Français.

External links

• Mario Ledesma at Unión Argentina de Rugby (English)
• Mario Ledesma on ercrugby.com
• 1999 RWC profile

References