From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agustín Pichot (born 22 August 1974 in Buenos Aires) is a
retired Argentine rugby union player,
formerly captain of the Argentine team and
the English club Bristol. In
addition to Bristol, he played for French sides Stade
Français and Racing Métro after leaving
Argentine team CASI from San Isidro in 1997.
Career
Pichot made his debut for Los Pumas in April 1995 during the
Pumas' tour to Australia, scoring a try in the first Test in Brisbane. Pichot was capped another three
times that year for the Pumas; playing in Tests against Romania,
Italy and France during October. The following year he was capped
another three times for Argentina, playing two Tests against France
and one against Uruguay in June, scoring a try in the match against
Uruguay. In October/November of the next year he earned another
four Test caps, playing in matches against Italy, France and the
Wallabies, scoring a try in the second of two matches against the
Wallabies. He moved from CASI to Richmond where he played alongside
a legend of the game Richard Mclennan in the 1997-98 season, and
would later switch to Bristol.
Pichot would be capped six times during the 1998 international
season, including playing France three times, as well as playing
matches against Italy, Romania and Wales, scoring tries in the
games against Wales and Romania. In the lead up to the 1999
Rugby World Cup in Wales
Pichot played two Tests against the hosts in June, and Tests
against Scotland and Ireland that August, scoring a try in the Test
against Ireland. He played five matches during the World Cup, and
helped the Pumas reach the quarter-finals. Argentina played France
in their quarter-final, which France won 26-47, Pichot being one of
Argentina's try scorers in the match.
After the World Cup Pichot captained Argentina for the first
time in a Test against Ireland in June 2000, which Argentina won 34
points to 23. He was also capped another four times that year,
playing two games against World Champions Australia and then
matches against South Africa and England in November. He earned
eight Test caps during 2001, and captained Argentina on three more
occasions, in matches against Uruguay, the United States and Canada
in May. He played six Tests the following year, captaining the
Pumas during two of them (June Tests against England and South
Africa).
Pichot then moved to Paris club Stade Français in 2003. He
played two Tests during August 2003, including captaining the Pumas
against Uruguay. He was named captain for the opening match of the
2003
Rugby World Cup against hosts Australia. The Wallabies won the
match 24–8. He also scored tries in the pool matches against
Uruguay and Canada. He then captained the team in the last pool
game against Ireland, which they lost 16–15. He was named to
Argentina's 2007 Rugby World Cup squad, which
he captained successfully to a 3rd place showing in the World Cup,
after a second win in the 2007 Rugby World Cup against
France in the 3rd/4th place playoff.
Pichot was the first foreign captain of a French team that won
the French championship in 2007.
He spent the 2007-2008 season with Racing Métro, then in Rugby Pro D2, before
retiring. Pichot briefly came out of retirement for one last stint
with Stade
Français in 2009.[1]
However, an injury suffered in April 2009 that ended his 2008–09 season led Pichot to call
time on his playing career.[2]
Pichot returned to Argentina for one final match on June 27 at
CASI, an informal exhibition divided into three periods that saw
nearly 60 players take the pitch, including many of his former CASI
teammates and past and present Pumas. He was the only player to
remain on the field through the match. Also present were Alex Wyllie, who
coached the Pumas to their first World Cup quarterfinal in 1999; Marcelo
Loffreda, the Pumas' coach for their 2007 World Cup run; and
Pichot's successor as Pumas captain, Felipe Contepomi, who was unable to
play as he was recovering from a torn ACL. Every
player on the pitch wore #9, the standard number for starting
scrum-halves.[2]
He narrated the Argentinian version of the documentary Earth.
Honours
- In 1995 he received the Olimpia Award for rugby.
- In 1998 He received Best Rugby Player.
- In 1999 He received Sportman Clarín of the year.
- In 2000 Pichot received the Platinum Konex Award for Rugby.
- In 2000 he again received the Olimpia.
- In 2001 He received Best Rugby player.
- In 2000/01 and 2002/03 he was voted Supporter's Player of the
Season at Bristol
Rugby.
Achievements
Trivia
References
External
links