Mirco Bergamasco

Mirco Bergamasco (born 23 February 1983) is an Italian rugby union and rugby league footballer. Bergamasco has played both rugby league and rugby union, and is a dual-code rugby international, having played for both the Italy national rugby union team and the Italy national rugby league team. He primarily plays at centre or wing. He played in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups as well as the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Mirco Bergamasco
Bergamasco with Stade Français in 2010.
Personal information
Born (1983-02-23) 23 February 1983
Padua, Veneto, Italy
Height1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight86 kg (13 st 8 lb)[1]
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionCentre, Wing, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001–03 Petrarca 36 45
2003–10 Stade Français 127 150
2010–13 Racing Métro 36 54
2013–14 Rovigo Delta 19 168
2014–16 Zebre 20 20
2016 Sacramento Express 12 117
Total 250 0 0 0 554
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2002–12 Italy 89 256
2015 Italy Sevens
Rugby league
PositionCentre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016 Saluzzo Roosters
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016–17 Italy 5 0 24 0 48
As of 16 January 2021

Playing career

Club career

In March 2016, Bergamasco signed with the Sacramento Express for the inaugural season of PRO Rugby.[2]

International career

Bergamasco made his international debut against France in the 2002 Six Nations Championship, having previously appeared against an All-Star XV in a non-cap international. He established himself as a regular in the Azzurri side under coach John Kirwan. He scored three tries in the 2003 Six Nations Championship. He suffered a jaw injury during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, however, and was forced to miss all but two of Italy's games.

He switched to inside centre from the back three and was considered one of the stars of the 2006 Six Nations Championship, scoring three tries in five matches.

Though his position has primarily been that of the wing and centre, he has been one of the main goal kickers for Italy since 2011. In the 2011 Six Nations Championship match against France. Bergamasco kicked six from eight, resulting in a 22–21 win for Italy, their first win in the Six Nations against the French.

Bergamasco returned to the Italian side for the 2014 Six Nations Championship,[3] but was not selected to play in any matches.

Switch to rugby league
Bergamasco playing for the national team (2017)

In October 2016, Bergamasco was selected in Italy's 22-man squad for their 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying campaign.[4] He played at centre in two matches, kicking 7 goals for Italy against Serbia. In March 2017, Bergamasco joined the Saluzzo Roosters during their inaugural season in the French National Division 2 competition.[5][6] In June 2017, Bergamasco represented Italy in their matches against Lebanon and Spain, kicking 13 goals against the latter.[7] Bergamasco kicked 4 goals in Italy's pre-World Cup match against Malta in October.[8]

Personal life

Bergamasco is the son of Arturo and the younger brother of Mauro Bergamasco, both Italian internationals.

Bergamasco appeared on the cover and in the 2004 edition of Les Dieux du Stade, a calendar in which French rugby players pose nude. In 2007 he and his brother featured on the cover of the Italian version of the EA Sports game Rugby 08.

Bergamasco is a vegan since 2013.[9] In 2017 he posed nude for one of PETA's ad campaigns advocating for the vegan lifestyle.[10]

He's married to French Iranian journalist Ati Safavi. She became a vegan before him, inspiring him.[11] They both appeared as testimonials for the Italian animal rights organization Lega Anti Vivisezione (LAV).[12]

References
  1. "FrenchRugbyClub Racing-Métro 92 squad". FrenchRugbyClub.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  2. "Bergamasco Confirmed for PRO Sacramento". America's Rugby News. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  3. Garcia-Bennett, Cindy (24 January 2014). "Mirco Bergamasco set for return to Italy squad 14 months after fracturing his kneecap". The Independent. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  4. "Campese, Bergamasco in Italy RL squad". SBS. 8 October 2016.
  5. "Rugby, Bergamasco riparte dal Saluzzo" (in Italian). ANSA. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  6. Costa, Paolo (28 March 2017). "Mirco Bergamasco "star" a Saluzzo" (in Italian). La Stampa. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  7. Portoghese, Matteo (19 June 2017). "L'Italia del rugby league si gode il suo momento d'oro" (in Italian). Mondo Sportivo. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  8. "Test Match, l'Italia pareggia 24-24 con Malta a Sydney" (in Italian). Federazione Italia Rugby League. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  9. Montini, Beatrice (22 October 2015). "Mirco Bergamasco, campione di rugby diventato vegano: "Solo benefici"". Corriere.it (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  10. Montini, Beatrice (18 July 2017). "Mirco Bergamasco posa nudo per Peta e la scelta vegan". Corriere.it (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  11. Parretta, Roberto (3 July 2015). "Rugby, Mirco Bergamasco vegano felice: "Un beneficio enorme". Gazzetta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  12. Minciotti, Guido (20 October 2015). "Vuoi provare la colazione vegana?". Ilsole24ore.com (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2018.
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