Martin Castrogiovanni

Martín Castrogiovanni
Full name Martín Leandro Castrogiovanni
Date of birth October 21, 1981
Place of birth Paraná, Argentina
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 119 kg (18 st 10 lb) [1]
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Tight-head Prop
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Atlético Estudiantes
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2001–06
2006–13
2013–		 Calvisano
Leicester Tigers
Toulon		 93
149
30
(40)
(5)
correct as of 24 January 2015.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2002– Italy 110 (60)
correct as of 21 March 2015.

Martín Leandro Castrogiovanni (born October 21, 1981) is an Italian Argentine rugby union footballer. He played for Ghial Calvisano, with whom he won the Italian championship in 2005. He signed a contract with Leicester Tigers, and after a successful 2006/07 season with them, was named Guinness Premiership player of the season.[2] He wears the name "Castro" on his shirt rather than "Castrogiovanni" A native of Paraná, Argentina, Castrogiovanni made his international debut for the Italian national team on June 8, 2002, during the tour against the All Blacks, and since, has become a regular in the national side. He played every game of Italy's 2004 Six Nations campaign and was a reliable member of their forward pack, being selected man of the match in the victory against Scotland. One of his most famous moments came in 2004, when, during the summer tour against Japan, he scored a hat-trick - a rarity for a prop forward. He led the national team for the game against Scotland during the 2012 Six Nations Championship, which Italy won 13-6, leading him to Tweet "Only unbeaten 6 Nations Captain".

Castrogiovanni and Marcos Ayerza signed three-year contract extensions with the Premiership champions in January 2008.[3] In 2011, after much speculation about a move to France, he declared "money isn't everything" and renewed his contract with Leicester Tigers, much to the relief of the Leicester, where the chant of "Castro" is heard often as he is a firm favourite of the fans.

During the 2008 Six Nations Championship, Castrogiovanni was Italy's top try scorer.

After seven years at Welford Road, he signed for French club Toulon for the 2013–14 season.[4]

When Castrogiovanni was younger, he played basketball, but quit after punching the ref in a match. "Well, not a punch exactly – it was part punch, part push. Whatever it was, I knew I wouldn't be playing much more basketball; I didn't even turn up for the disciplinary hearing to find out the length of my ban." [5]

Restaurant

Castrogiovanni is co-owner of an Italian restaurant in Leicester, Timo. He has recently opened another Timo in Market Harborough, which he co-owns with fellow Tigers player Geordan Murphy.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Aviva Premiership Rugby - Gloucester Rugby". web page. Premier Rugby. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Guinness Premiership player of the season
  3. ↑ "Leicester duo agree new contracts". BBC. 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  4. ↑ "Toulon confirm Castro move". Leicester Tigers. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "press interview". The Independent. 2008-03-22. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
  6. ↑ Jackson, Peter (3 April 2009). "Seabass off menu but Castro can still cook up a storm...". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 2009-04-04.

External links