Ricky Riccitelli

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Ricky Riccitelli
Full nameJohn Ricky Riccitelli
Date of birth (1995-02-03) 3 February 1995 (age 29)
Place of birthDurban, South Africa
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight110 kg (243 lb; 17 st 5 lb)
SchoolFrancis Douglas Memorial College
UniversityUniversity of Otago
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Hooker
Current team Taranaki, Blues
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016
Hawke's Bay
18 (0)
2016–2021 Hurricanes 71 (25)
2017– Taranaki 58 (45)
2022– Blues 17 (40)
Correct as of 26 April 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 New Zealand U20 7 (0)
2018 World XV 1 (0)
Correct as of 23 June 2021

John Ricky Riccitelli (

World Rugby Under 20 Championships for New Zealand and took part in Francis Douglas Memorial College
first XV.

Riccitelli represents the

professional debut for the union in 2017 at the age of 22. He spent a season at the Hawke's Bay side, before earning a short-term contract in the Hurricanes 2016 Super Rugby squad. He has defended the Ranfurly Shield with Hawke's Bay in 2014 and Taranaki in 2017, won a championship with the Hurricanes in 2016 and was named Player of the Year at the TRFU Amber and Black awards.[1] He has scored 11 career tries
in all competitions.

Early life

John Ricky Riccitelli was born on 3 February 1995 in

Central Districts under-19 squad.[4]

He represented

Oceania Junior Championship earlier in the year, Riccitelli went on to feature in seven out of eight of the Baby Blacks' games, (including their historic win over England in the U20 WC final), starting at loosehead prop.[7]

Professional career

2015–17

Although there was interest from other provincial unions for Riccitelli, he ended up signing a two-year deal with Hawke's Bay under coach Craig Philpott in May 2015. Philpott was impressed with his performance after noticing him at the New Zealand under-20 trial camps.[5] He made his debut for the province in 2015, playing the two out of the three pre-season Ranfurly Shield matches against Horowhenua-Kapiti and Mid Canterbury.[8] He made a further six appearances during the 2015 ITM Cup season.[9]

Riccitelli then joined the

Lions, impressing the Hurricanes' coaches with his accurate lineout throwing and strong ball-carrying.[12]

In 2016 also saw Riccitelli feature in a disappointing Hawke's Bay team that finished in last place.[13] He continued to make progress though as a starting loosehead prop during their Mitre 10 Cup campaign.[14] Riccitelli, returned to his primary and preferred role of hooker when the side hosted Bay of Plenty, which was their final outing of the season at Napier's McLean Park.[15] He extended his club's appearances to eighteen after he played in all ten of Hawke's Bay's matches, making it a season's personal best.[16]

Riccitelli returned to his home province of Taranaki.

Colin Cooper said Riccitelli had a chance to claim the vacant hooker position.[18]

Riccitelli became a regular starter for the Hurricanes in the 2017 Super Rugby season after another injury to Hurricanes' captain and first-choice All Blacks hooker Dane Coles. He was preferred over Leni Apisai for the role.[19] Riccitelli was eventually called up as injury cover for the All Blacks' 2017 Rugby Championship, with Coles out of the first round and Liam Coltman out for the season.[20] Riccitelli did not play in the competition and was released back to Taranaki after Coles recovered from his second concussion of the 2017 season.[21]

2018–present

Despite newly-capped All Black

Dunedin.[24]

Riccitelli returned for his second

Mitre 10 Cup season with Taranaki after being included in their 47-man squad to defend the Ranfurly Shield.[25] He was named player of the year for the province after appearing in nine out of twelve matches during the 2018 campaign.[1] Riccitelli later gained selection honours with Robbie Deans' World XV against Japan in Osaka after being named among the ten replacements. The side also featured current New Zealand internationals Nehe Milner-Skudder and Jackson Hemopo.[26]

Riccitelli rejoined the Hurricanes squad for their upcoming season after head coach

Statistics

Club Year Competition GP GS TRY CON PEN DGL PTS WL% Yellow card Red card
Hawke's Bay 2015
Bunnings NPC
(incl. Ranfurly Shield
)
8 2 0 0 0 0 0 87.50 0 0
2016 10 9 0 0 0 0 0 20.00 0 0
Taranaki 2017 9 8 3 0 0 0 15 77.78 0 0
2018 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 22.22 0 0
2019 9 9 1 0 0 0 5 33.33 0 0
2020 11 6 2 0 0 0 10 36.36 0 0
2021 10 6 1 0 0 0 5 100.00 0 0
Hurricanes 2016
Super Rugby Pacific
9 1 0 0 0 0 0 77.78 0 0
2017 18 14 1 0 0 0 5 72.22 0 0
2018 18 18 2 0 0 0 10 66.67 0 0
2019 12 6 0 0 0 0 0 75.00 0 0
2020 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 71.43 0 0
2021 7 1 2 0 0 0 10 28.57 0 0
Blues
2022
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0 0
Career 137 90 12 0 0 0 60 60.58 0 0

Updated: 12 June 2022 Source: John R Riccitelli Rugby History

References

  1. ^ a b "Riccitelli named player of the year at rugby awards". Taranaki Rugby. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  2. ^ "CANES 60 EXCLUSIVE: RICKY RICCITELLI". Hurricanes. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b Glenn Mclean (1 July 2015). "Focus now on Ranfurly Shield for Ricky Riccitelli". Stuff. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b Murray Hills (28 September 2012). "School names top sportsman". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Shane Hurndell (5 May 2015). "Rugby: Magpies sign young gun". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. ^ "NZ Under 20 squad named for World Champs in Italy". All Blacks. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  7. ^ "World Rugby U20 Championship 2015, Match 30". World Rugby. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  8. ^ James Mortimer (22 July 2015). "Will it be lucky number 14 for the Ranfurly Shield challengers?". Mitre 10 Cup. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  9. ^ "ITM Cup – SEASON 2015–2016 – Games played". It’s Rugby. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  10. ^ Hamish Bidwell (24 February 2016). "New Hurricanes captain Dane Coles has to wait to lead the team out". Stuff. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Riccitelli's contract extended". New Zealand Herald. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  12. ^ Hamish Bidwell (25 July 2016). "Hurricanes back-up hooker Ricky Riccitelli undaunted by prospect of replacing Dane Coles". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  13. ^ Niall Anderson (8 October 2016). "Hawke's Bay relegated from Mitre 10 Cup Premiership". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Magpies 2016 squad named". Hawke's Bay Magpies. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  15. ^ Shane Hurndell (14 October 2016). "Riccitelli revved for preferred role". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  16. ^ "ITM Cup – SEASON 2016–2017 – Games played". It’s Rugby. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Riccitelli leaves Magpies nest". New Zealand Herald. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  18. ^ a b Christopher Reive (1 February 2017). "Ricky Riccitelli signs two-year deal with Taranaki Rugby". Stuff. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  19. ^ Campbell Burnes (18 July 2017). "Dane Coles re-emerges after four-month battle with concussion". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  20. ^ Marc Hinton (13 August 2017). "Dane Coles out of Bledisloe Cup test with head knock, team-mate Ricky Riccitelli called up". Stuff. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  21. ^ Glenn Mclean (24 August 2017). "Naholo released to play for Taranaki". Stuff. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  22. ^ Hamish Bidwell (11 May 2018). "Beauden Barrett hails old schoolmate Ricky Riccitelli as the Hurricanes' 'Mr Reliable". Stuff. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  23. ^ Christopher Reive (17 June 2018). "Ricky Riccitelli gets another run with All Blacks as cover for Nathan Harris". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  24. ^ "All Blacks call in reinforcements for third French test". Newshub. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  25. ^ "Defending Shield holders Taranaki name 2018 squad". Mitre 10 Cup. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Nehe Milner-Skudder named at fullback for Robbie Deans' World XV against Japan". Stuff. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  27. ^ Hamish Bidwell (31 October 2018). "Salesi Rayasi returns home as one of six new Hurricanes for 2019". Stuff. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  28. ^ "Perenara to captain Hurricanes v Waratahs". Sport 24. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  29. ^ "Milestones for Hurricanes duo against Crusaders". Sport 24. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.

External links