Serafino Ghizzoni (born 16 October 1954 in L'Aquila, Italy) is a former Italian international rugby union footballer, who played the 1st Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Serafino Ghizzoni
Birth nameSerafino Ghizzoni
Date of birth (1954-10-16) 16 October 1954 (age 70)
Place of birthL'Aquila, Italy
Occupation(s)Car rental
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, full-back
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1970-1972 L'Aquila ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1972-1996 L'Aquila 371 (686)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1977-1987 Italy 60 (77)

Biography

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Born and raised in L'Aquila, Ghizzoni started playing rugby at L'Aquila Rugby as wing. He debuted as senior in 1972[1] and won the Italy's Cup in 1973.

He won his first cap for Italy on 6 February 1977 in the FIRA Championship against France A1; he won his first full international one month later in Casablanca vs. Morocco.

Three years later he won two Italian championships in a row with L'Aquila Rugby.

Ghizzoni was part of the team that played the 1st World Cup in Australia and New Zealand; he won his last cap against the All Blacks.

In the last years of his career he moved to full-back. In 1994, he won his last domestic title with L'Aquila as underdog, beating the highly rated Milan Rugby (which was at the time owned by Silvio Berlusconi) in the championship final in Padua.[2]

Since his retirement he has been running his family business (car and bus renting), and working as a ski instructor and amateur mountain rally driver.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ghizzoni, L'Aquila che incuteva timore". Il Centro (in Italian). L'Aquila. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  2. ^ Stefano Edel (24 April 2004). "L'Aquila vola sul cielo del rugby". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Milan. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
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