Martin Castrogiovanni
Italy
player portrait
Full name Martin Leandro Castrogiovanni
Born October 21, 1981, Parana
Current age 42 years 150 days
Major teams Barbarians, Leicester Tigers, Racing Metro, Toulon, Italy
Position Prop
Height 6 ft 2 in
Weight 257 lb

Test career
Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All Tests 2002-2016 119 91 28 60 12 0 0 0 30 88 1 25.63
Five/Six Nations 2003-2016 60 44 16 25 5 0 0 0 7 52 1 12.5
IRB Rugby World Cup 2003-2015 14 11 3 5 1 0 0 0 7 7 0 50

Career statistics
Test debut New Zealand v Italy at Hamilton, Jun 8, 2002 match details
Last Test Wales v Italy at Millennium Stadium, Mar 19, 2016 match details
Test Statsguru Main menu | Career summary | Match list | Most points | Most tries | Tournament list

English Premiership
Team Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All matches 2006-2013 97 55 42 25 5 0 0 0 68 23 6 73.19
Leicester Tigers 2006-2013 97 55 42 25 5 0 0 0 68 23 6 73.19
Profile

Argentinian-born Italy Test tight-head Martin Castrogiovanni has established him as one of the world's premier props and has become a firm fan favourite at Welford Road for his club side Leicester Tigers.

Formerly an Argentina Under-19 and Under-21 international, he played his early rugby with Atletico Estudiantes in Argentina before moving to Italian side Calvisano in 2001. He spent five years with them before being snapped up by the Leicester Tigers in 2006.

He made an immediate impact in English rugby's top flight and was named Guinness Premiership Player of the Year at the end of his debut season - in the process becoming the first prop and Italian to scoop the honour.

An ever-present with Italy in two Rugby World Cups, he made his international debut against New Zealand in 2002 and notched up his 50th Test cap during the Six Nations in 2008. He scored a hat-trick of tries against Japan in 2004 and was the Azzurri's top try-scorer in the 2008 Six Nations with three scores.

On the domestic stage, he acquired cult status at Welford Road and a reputation as one of the league's most fearsome props. Castrogiovanni played a key role in the Tigers' dominance of the England domestic scene in the naughties helping them to Premiership titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

His sharp rise in stature led to him being increasingly linked with big-money moves abroad. But despite reports linking him with a move to Top 14 giants Stade Francais in 2011, Castrogiovanni signed a new contract with the Tigers.

But while he was Italy's undisputed first-choice tight-head, at the Tigers he found himself increasingly behind England tight-head Dan Cole in their pecking order as shown by the fact that he was forced to start the 2011-12 Premiership final from the bench.

At the end of the 2012-13 season he announced he would join Toulon but he marked his final campaign at the Tigers with an Aviva Premiership title.

Latest Articles
Tumour forces Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni out of World Cup (Oct 5, 2015) Castrogiovanni dropped by Italy following dog bite (Mar 4, 2015) 'Castrogiovanni absence no boost for Scotland' (Feb 25, 2015) Castrogiovanni sidelined after dog bites nose (Feb 23, 2015) The ESPNscrum Awards - Retallick, rugby and rants (Dec 30, 2014) Martin Castrogiovanni news and articles (83) »
Latest Photos
Feb 14, 2015
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni lines up for the anthems
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni lines up for the anthems
©  Getty Images
Feb 7, 2015
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni rides a tackle
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni rides a tackle
©  Getty Images
Dec 7, 2014
Martin Castrogiovanni looks on
Martin Castrogiovanni looks on
©  Getty Images
Feb 9, 2014
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni gets hold of France's Dimitri Szarzewski
Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni gets hold of France's Dimitri Szarzewski
©  Getty Images
Martin Castrogiovanni rugby photos (38) »

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