Giambattista Croci
Giambattista Croci (born San Benedetto del Tronto, 28 July 1965) is a former Italian rugby union player. He played as a lock.
Croci first played at Sambenedettese, appearing at the first team at 1983/84, at the Serie C. During a stint at Interforze di Napoli, during his military service, he was noticed and assigned for Rugby Rovigo, in 1988/89. The aphex of his team career was achieved at Amatori Rugbi Milano, where he played from 1989/90 to 1997/98, winning 4 Italian Championship titles, in 1990/91, 1992/93, 1994/95 and 1995/96, and the Cup of Italy in 1994/95. His final team was Rugby Calvisano, from 1998/99 to 1999/2000, where he finished his career, aged 34 years old.
Croci had 24 caps for Italy, scoring 3 tries, in an aggregate of 13 points. His first game was at 30 September 1990, in a 30-6 win over Spain, in Rovigo, for the 1991 Rugby World Cup qualifiers. He was called for the 1991 Rugby World Cup, playing in all three games, but never scoring. He was called once more for the 1995 Rugby World Cup but this time he didn't played. He was a decisive player in the historical 40-32 win over France at Grenoble, that gave Italy their first ever title of the 1995-1997 FIRA Trophy, scoring the third try at the 36 minutes and drawing the game 20-20. Italian journalist Corrado Sanucci described the try that "brought Italian rugby from local soil to consecrate it at the BBC". Croci last game for Italy was at the 23-20 loss to Wales, at 7 February 1998, in Llanelli, in a tour.[1]
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