Leonardo Ghiraldini
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Ghiraldini is an Italian
rugby union
player for Benetton Rugby Treviso
in the RaboDirect Pro12
.
Ghiraldini's position of choice is at Hooker.
. Ghiraldini was regarded as one of Italian rugby's stars of the future.
during Italy's 2006 summer tour. Ghiraldini was called up to the Italian squad for the 2007 Six Nations Championship
and the 2007 Rugby World Cup
, he made his World Cup debut against Portugal
. He was called up to the Italy
squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship
, playing as starting hooker in all five games of the tournament.
For the 2010 Six Nations Championship
, Ghiraldini was named Italian captain after Sergio Parisse
was ruled out of the tournament with an injury.
before moving to Rugby Calvisano
in 2005 where as captain he won the Super 10
once in 2008 and was a runner-up with them in 2006. In 2009, Ghiraldini moved to Benetton Treviso
, which joined the Celtic League
in 2010.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player for Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
in the RaboDirect Pro12
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
.
Ghiraldini's position of choice is at Hooker.
Underage & 'A' Level
Ghiraldini played for the Italian U-18, U-19 and U-21 teams before playing for the Italy A TeamItaly A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
. Ghiraldini was regarded as one of Italian rugby's stars of the future.
Italy national team
Ghiraldini played his first international game against JapanJapan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
during Italy's 2006 summer tour. Ghiraldini was called up to the Italian squad for the 2007 Six Nations Championship
2007 Six Nations Championship
The 2007 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 113th series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
and the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, he made his World Cup debut against Portugal
Portugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
. He was called up to the Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship
2008 Six Nations Championship
The 2008 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2008 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the ninth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 114th...
, playing as starting hooker in all five games of the tournament.
For the 2010 Six Nations Championship
2010 Six Nations Championship
The 2010 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2010 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 11th series of the Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the six major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams...
, Ghiraldini was named Italian captain after Sergio Parisse
Sergio Parisse
Sergio Parisse is an Italian Argentine rugby union rugby player. He was the first Italian rugby union player to be nominated for the IRB International player of the year...
was ruled out of the tournament with an injury.
Club Career
Ghiraldini began his career with Petrarca Rugby in his hometown of PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
before moving to Rugby Calvisano
Rugby Calvisano
Rugby Calvisano are an Italian rugby union club currently competing in National Championship of Excellence.They are based in Calvisano , in Lombardy....
in 2005 where as captain he won the Super 10
Super 10 (Italian premiership)
The withdrawal of Viadana and Benetton Treviso from the league has been compounded by club mergers. Rugby Viadana, Gran Parma and Colorno have merged to form GranDucato Rugby. Overmach Parma and Noceto have merged to form Crociati, both new clubs to be based in Parma. These changes created 2...
once in 2008 and was a runner-up with them in 2006. In 2009, Ghiraldini moved to Benetton Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
, which joined the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
in 2010.