Richard Villasanti

{{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|retired = yes

|name = Richard Villasanti

|fullname = Richard Villasanti

|nickname =

|image =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|5|20|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

|height = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|111|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{rlp|PR}}

|club1 = Balmain Tigers

|year1start = 1999

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 6

|tries1 = 1

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 4

|club2 = Wests Tigers

|year2start = 2000

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 7

|tries2 = 1

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 4

|club3 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}

|year3start = 2001

|year3end = 06

|appearances3 = 96

|tries3 = 21

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 84

|club4 = Cronulla Sharks

|year4start = 2006

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 7

|tries4 = 1

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 4

|teamA = Australia

|yearAstart = 2003

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 1

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|updated = 2007

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Richard_Villasanti/summary.html Rugby League Project]

}}

Richard Villasanti (born 20 May 1980) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in 1990s and 2000s. An Australia national representative forward, he played his club football in the National Rugby League for Balmain, Wests Tigers, New Zealand Warriors, and Cronulla-Sutherland.

Playing career

Villasanti made his début with the Balmain Tigers in 1999, making 6 appearances from the bench. He remained with the club when they merged to become the Wests Tigers the next season and made a number of appearances in the team towards the end of the year. A Junior Kiwi, Villasanti was included in the wider Tonga squad for the 2000 World Cup but did not play in the tournament.

Joining the Warriors in 2001, Villasanti was a regular in the team for the next 5 years. The following year, he was in the team that made the 2002 NRL Grand Final, the club's first grand final appearance. He gained a level of infamy for a tackle made in the game, a "head-first hit, which left Fittler bloodied and bandaged."{{cite news|author=Glenn Jackson|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|title=Villain Villasanti mulls moment that went wrong|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/villain-villasanti-mulls-moment-that-went-wrong-20120330-1w3ie.html|accessdate=25 April 2012|date=31 March 2012}}

At the end of the 2003 NRL season Villasanti had gained a reputation as a big-hitting impact player, and became the first New Zealand based player to be chosen to represent Australia at the end of the year, though he was to make only one test appearance{{cite news|author=Alan Whiticker|author-link=Alan Whiticker|publisher=Rugby League Project|title=Career Stats & Summary|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/richard-villasanti/summary.html|accessdate=25 April 2012}} on the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, helping Australia to victory over Great Britain in what would be the last time the two nations contested an Ashes series. While on tour with Australia, Villasanti was accused of stealing more than $5000 from teammates rooms. An investigation by the Australian Rugby League (ARL) did not determine who the thief was but Villasanti claims other teammates blamed him for the stolen items.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/villasanti-denies-kangaroos-tour-theft-20060809-gdo50z.html/|title=Villasanti denies Kangaroos tour theft|website=www.smh.com.au}}

In 2006, Villasanti was released from the Warriors mid-season, and joined the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

In February 2007, he secured a release from Cronulla, signing a two-year deal with Harlequins RL but never played a first-grade game for the London-based club.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/london/6767345.stm|title=Prop Villasanti forced to retire|publisher=BBC|date=19 June 2007|accessdate=19 June 2007}} Villasanti was signed by the Londoners as a replacement for Solomon Haumono after having surgery on his knee in Australia. He passed a medical on his arrival in London and was expected to be available after four to six weeks, but the knee failed to respond to rehabilitation.{{cite news|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/07/06/19/RUGBYL_Harlequins.html|title=Villasanti Calls It Quits|newspaper=Sporting Life|date=19 June 2007|accessdate=19 June 2007}} The persistent knee problem forced him into retirement.{{cite web|url=http://www.quins.co.uk/newspage.ink?nid=37469&newstype=n&matchid=&storytype=RL&Refid=|title=It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce that Richard Villasanti has had to retire|publisher=Quins.co.uk|date=19 June 2007|accessdate=19 June 2007}}

Villasanti signed with the Sawtell Panthers in the Group 2 competition for 2011 in which he won a premiership.[http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/story/2011/01/20/sawtell-panthers-richard-villasanti-coffs/ Villasanti to play for Sawtell] The Coffs Coast Advocate, 20 January 2011 In mid-2012, he signed with the Bidgee Hurricanes in the Group 20 competition.[http://www.areanews.com.au/story/179797/villasanti-adds-venom-to-bidgee-pack/ Villasanti adds venom to Bidgee pack] The Area News, 3 July 2012

Career highlights

Junior Club: Erindale College, Canberra
First Grade Debut: Round 7, Balmain v Manly at Leichhardt Oval, 18 April 1999
First Grade Record: 116 appearances scoring 24 tries

Representative games

International: One game for Australia in 2003

References

External links

[http://www.quins.co.uk/newspage.ink?nid=36918&newstype=n&matchid=&storytype=RL New home for Villa]
[http://www.rleague.com/db/player/v/villasanti_richard/index.php Richard Villasanti Stats]
[http://www.nrl.com/RepGames/Internationals/InternationalsNewsArticle/tabid/338/newsid/2403/Default.aspx Villasanti denies Kangaroos tour theft]
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/3221877.stm Australia in profile]

Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian rugby league players

Category:Australia national rugby league team players

Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England

Category:Australian people of New Zealand descent

Category:Australian sportspeople of Tongan descent

Category:Balmain Tigers players

Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen

Category:Wests Tigers players

Category:New Zealand Warriors players

Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players