Federico Pucciariello

Federico Pucciariello (born 24 June 1975 in Rosario, Argentina) is an Argentine-born Italian rugby union footballer. He plays at both tighthead and loosehead prop, currently for Munster Rugby. He has previously played for Gloucester Rugby and CS Bourgoin-Jallieu in the Heineken Cup. For the latter club, he was on the bench for a game against his current team.

Born in Rosario, Pucciariello declared for Italy and won 8 caps for the Azzuri. He played one match at the 1999 Rugby World Cup finals. He later admitted he regrets representing a country other than that he was born in. He also said his most difficult match was that when he lined out against the county of his birth.

Pucciariello, or Freddy as he is affectionatly known in Munster, is a crowd favourite in Thomond Park and Musgrave Park. He started in the Heineken Cup semi final against Leinster Rugby, and came on as a replacement for Marcus Horan in the Final triumph over Biarritz Olympique.

Freddy recently lost his place on the Munster bench for Heineken Cup games to Irish international Tony Buckley, but still lines out in the Magners League.

External links

* [http://www.munsterrugby.ie/97_87.php Munster profile]