Massimo Giovanelli (born 1 March 1967 in

Noceto Noceto (Parmigiano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Parma in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about west of Parma. The municipality of Noceto contains the ''frazioni'' (subdivisions, ...

) is a former Italian rugby union player. He played as a flanker. He was one of the best Italian rugby players of his generation.

Club career

Giovanelli started his career at the local team of Rugby Noceto Football Club, being promoted to the first category in 1984. He would play there until 1990/91, moving then to

Amatori Rugby Milano Amatori Rugby Milano were an Italian rugby union team based in Milan founded in 1927 and disbanded in 2011. Founded in 1927 as part of the association football, football team F.C. Internazionale Milano, Ambrosiana-Inter of Milan, the club won ...

, which he represented from 1991/92 to 1996/97. It was the most successful time of his career, winning three Italian Championship titles, in 1992/93, 1994/95 and 1995/96, and one Cup of Italy, in 1994/95. He moved to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1997, where he would play for Paris Université Club Rugby during one season, moving then to

RC Narbonne Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RCNM) is a French rugby union club that play in the third-level Nationale. They are based in Narbonne in the Aude '' département'' of Occitania. They were founded in 1907. They play at P ...

, where he would stay for the season of 1998/99. Giovanelli returned to Italy, playing then for

Rugby Rovigo Rugby Rovigo Delta, formerly known until 2010 as Rugby Rovigo, is an Italian rugby union club currently competing in the Top10 (rugby union), Serie A Élite. They are based in Rovigo, in Veneto. Overview The club was founded in 1935 by medical ...

(1999/2000). He left competition for some years due to an eye problem, but returned for a final spell with Rugby Colomo, where he would play from 2003/04 to 2006/07, finishing his career aged 40.

International career

Giovanelli had 60 caps for

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, from 1989 to 2000, scoring 4 tries, 19 points in aggregate. He was the captain for 37 caps. His first game was at 30 September 1989, in the 33-9 win over

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

, in

Treviso Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...

, in a friendly match, aged 22 years old. He was selected for three

Rugby World Cup The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World championship, world champions of the sport. The tournament is administer ...

finals, playing 2 times at the

1991 Rugby World Cup The 1991 Rugby World Cup () was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France: at the time, the five European countries who participated in the Six Nations Championship, Five Na ...

, never being capped at the

1995 Rugby World Cup The 1995 Rugby World Cup (), was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country. The World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in ...

, and playing three times at the

1999 Rugby World Cup The 1999 Rugby World Cup () was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship. It was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the sport's History of rugby union#The professional era, professional era. Four a ...

. He was also the captain of Italy in this last presence. He had his last cap for the National Team during his sole presence at the

2000 Six Nations Championship The 2000 Six Nations Championship was the first series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship, following the addition of Italy national rugby union team, Italy to the Five Nations. It was the 106th season of the championship overall. The ti ...

, at 5 February 2000, in the 34-20 win over

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, that marked his country debut at the competition. His eye injury forced him to leave the national team afterwards. He was inducted at the World Rugby Museum Wall of Fame in

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

on 17 February 2001.Massimo Giovanelli at the Twickenham World Rugby Museum Wall of Fame
/ref> He also graduated in architecture in 2003.

References

External links

*
Massimo Giovanelli at the Twickenham World Rugby Museum Wall of Fame
1967 births Living people Italian rugby union players Italy international rugby union players Rugby union flankers Sportspeople from the Province of Parma Rugby union players from Emilia-Romagna 1991 Rugby World Cup players 1995 Rugby World Cup players 1999 Rugby World Cup players Crociati Parma Rugby FC players {{Italy-rugbyunion-bio-stub