Diego Albanese

Diego Luis Albanese (born September 17, 1973, in Mar del Plata) is a former Argentine rugby union player who played as a winger. He played for the San Isidro Club in Argentina, French side Grenoble, Gloucester and Leeds Tykes. Albanese made 17 appearances for Gloucester scoring three tries.

Diego Luis Albanese

Birth name	Diego Luis Albanese
Date of birth	(1973-09-17) September 17, 1973
Place of birth	Mar del Plata, Argentina
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	80 kg (12 st 8 lb; 176 lb)
University	University of Buenos Aires
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Buenos aires, San Isidro () Correct as of 25 June 2014 Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1990–1999 2000–2001 2001–2002 2002–2005 2005–2006 San Isidro Club Grenoble Gloucester Rugby Leeds Carnegie San Isidro Club 17 13 (15) (10) Correct as of 25 June 2014 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1995–2004 Argentina 55 (50) Correct as of 25 June 2014 National sevens team(s) Years Team Comps 1994–1996, 2001 Argentina 8

He has won 55 caps for Argentina, scoring 50 points, including appearances at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 World Cups. He became famous after scoring the winning try in the World Cup wild card match against Ireland in the 1999 World Cup that put Argentina into their first-ever quarter final.

Albanese joined Leeds Tykes in 2002 on a two-year contract. He made his debut against Leicester Tigers in August 2002 and helped his new side to a 26–13 win. In his first season 2002–2003 Diego made 18 starts in the Zurich Premiership scoring one try, a match winner against Harlequins at Headingley. After returning from the World Cup in 2003, he went on to make eight more starts in the Zurich Premiership scoring one try, Diego was also a try scorer for Leeds Tykes in the Heineken Cup, in the loss to the reigning European Champions Toulouse at Headingley. During his time at Leeds he helped them win the 2004–05 Powergen Cup, for the final of which he was an early replacement for Iain Balshaw.[1]

Albanese left the Tykes at the end of the 2004/05 season to return to SIC in Argentina, where he retired in 2006.