Full name John Ricky Riccitelli Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 ⁄2 in) | Weight 102 kg (225 lb) | |
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Date of birth (1995-02-03) 3 February 1995 (age 22) | ||
John Ricky Riccitelli (born 3 February 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the hooker position for Hawke's Bay and the Wellington based Super Rugby side the Hurricanes.
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Early life
Riccitelli was born on 3 February 1995, in Durban, South Africa to parents, Gail Luiz and John Riccitelli. He is of predominantly South African descent, but also has little Italian ancestry. Riccitelli and his parents migrated to New Zealand when he was four-years old after his mum got a job in the country. Settling in Oakura, he mainly grew up in New Plymouth where he attended Francis Douglas Memorial College. Riccitelli, was the school's sportsman of the year in 2012. He represented Taranaki at under-14, 16 and 18 levels and gained Hurricanes under-16 tournament team selection in 2012. While studying at Otago University for the past three years, Riccitelli had played for the Southern club in Dunedin and also captained the Otago under-19's. He also excelled at cricket representing Taranaki through the grades, his school's 1st XI for four years as well as the Central Districts under-19 squad.
In 2015 Riccitelli departed for the world under-20 championship in Italy, regularly spending time doing skill sessions with former Highlanders assistant coach Jon Preston. While turning out for New Zealand in the Oceania Junior Championship earlier in the year, Riccitelli went on to feature in a maximum seven out of eight games including their historic win over England in the final starting at loosehead prop.
2015–16
While there was interest from other provincial unions for Riccitelli, he signed a two-year deal with Hawke's Bay after coach Craig Philpott confirmed the signing in May 2015. Philpott was impressed with his performance after noticing him at the New Zealand under-20 trial camps. He made his debut for the province in 2015, playing the season's first two out of three Ranfurly Shield matches against Horowhenua-Kapiti and Mid Canterbury. He made a further six appearances during the 2015 ITM Cup season.
Riccitelli then joined the Hurricanes after being called up into the squad to replace the injured Dane Coles. He made his Super Rugby debut when being announced in the squads 23-man team to play the Brumbies in their season opener. He then had his short-term injury cover contract with the Hurricanes extended after the coaching staff had been impressed with his work ethic. After the Hurricanes success throughout the season, Riccitelli appeared in all three finals including their grand final win over the Lions, impressing the Hurricanes' coaches with his accurate lineout throwing and strong ball-carrying.
2016 also saw Riccitelli feature in a disappointing Hawke's Bay season that finished in last place. He though continued to make progress as a loosehead prop during their Mitre 10 Cup campaign. Riccitelli, returned to his primary and preferred role of hooker when the side hosted Bay of Plenty in which was their final outing of the season at Napier's McLean Park. He extended is appearances out to eighteen after he played in all Hawke's Bay's ten matches, making it a seasons best.
2017–18
A key figure in one of the best performing areas of Hawke's Bay's disappointing 2016 Mitre 10 Cup campaign, the frontrow. Riccitelli, had decided to return to his home province of Taranaki. Having already secured Jordie Barrett, Taranaki had lured Riccitelli for the 2017 and 2018 Mitre 10 Cup seasons, signing a two-year deal. With hooker Rhys Marshall taking up an offer to play for Munster in Ireland at the end of the previous season, coach Colin Cooper said Riccitelli was among the chances to claim the vacant number two jersey.
Statistics
Updated: 1 February 2017