In 2016, an image of a topless Martin Castrogiovanni at a Las Vegas pool party alongside then Paris Saint-Germain superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic not only caused uproar, but also brought a dramatic end to the career of one of Italian rugby’s most decorated players.
Castrogiovanni, the hair-bear prop, had told his club employers Racing 92 that year he had a personal matter to attend to in Argentina – the country where he was born – and could not feature in a crunch European semi-final with his old team Leicester.
Instead, he headed Stateside with a throng of multi-millionaire PSG footballers including Ibrahimovic, David Luiz, Angel Di Maria and Marco Veratti for an excessive weekend of drinking and gambling. Castrogiovanni knew Ibrahimovic and Co. as they all played professional sport in Paris. When he was snapped alongside them and the picture went around the world, Castrogiovanni was in trouble. Big trouble.
He won circa £500 in the Vegas casinos but also lost his lucrative Racing contract and decided to retire later that year.
‘It was tough the way I finished,’ the Azzurri legend tells Daily Mail Sport, ahead of struggling England’s Six Nations visit to Rome on Saturday.
‘I’m now known as the guy who went to Vegas with Zlatan and all that s***.
Martin Castrogiovanni admits he has become known as the guy who went to Las Vegas with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after this 2016 picture caused uproar after missing a Racing 92 match
The Azzurri legend, centre, admitted it was tough the way his career ended with the focus drawn away from his achievements in rugby
‘But the problem for me is that’s all people remember. They only remember one part of my life.
‘When you do bad, you tend to pay. People say: “Oh Castro, he did stupid things.” They don’t remember I won four English titles, two French and two European Cups – the most titles of any Italian. They take away the rugby guy I was and remember me as a funny guy. That’s fine.
‘I don’t want to change it because I am here today because of everything that happened.’
As he reflects on how he is perceived by others, it is unusual to see Castrogiovanni – always such an effervescent character – in serious mode. That soon changes.
I ask him whether that night in Vegas was a good one, regardless of its severe consequences.
‘Of course,’ he says, his smile returning.
Castrogiovanni doesn’t go into further detail. After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
It’s a funny story, but the forward is right when he says it’s unfair that it should define him. His Vegas antics only served to further establish him as one of rugby’s cult heroes. But Castrogiovanni was a remarkable player. He won 119 Italian caps and had seven trophy-laden years in English rugby with Leicester. The two countries mean a lot to him. Which is why when they meet in Rome on Saturday, Castrogiovanni will be a more-than-interested observer.
Castrogiovanni enjoyed seven trophy-laden years in English rugby with Leicester
After back-to-back defeats by Scotland and Ireland followed a 12-Test winning streak, Steve Borthwick’s side is reeling. England have never lost to Italy, but the weekend’s trip looks a potential disaster waiting to happen.
‘England are the only team we’ve never beaten. To do it would be nice,’ Castrogiovanni adds. ‘Italy can win. On a good day, they can win against anyone but the team needs to keep working. Italy needs to be more clinical, but it’s been really, really nice to see the team develop.
‘Now people come up to me and say: “Your team is so good!” That makes me proud. For a long time, all they did was take the p*** out of us.’
As the traditional whipping boys of the Six Nations, especially in Castrogiovanni’s era, Italy’s Championship place was routinely questioned in the past. Not now.
Italy’s class of 2026 pack more than a punch. They’ve beaten Scotland, came within a disallowed try of downing Ireland (who they destroyed at the scrum) and pushed France far harder than the final scoreline of 33-8 suggested. Gonzalo Quesada’s side will certainly trouble England, whose confidence may be fragile on the back of consecutive, error-strewn displays. Home advantage also favours Italy.
‘I think Italy can still get fourth in the Championship this year,’ Castrogiovanni adds. ‘The last three years have been really good. If we continue with this coach for another four years, it will really help us. We’ve changed coaches a lot and have had a problem with identity. Gonzalo has worked on that.
‘In Italy, it used to be all about the forwards. Now, our forwards follow the backs.
‘Now, the Italian team has an identity.’
It certainly does.
Italy’s current squad packs a punch with centre Tommaso Menoncello among their star names which have helped the national team shake of the status of being Six Nations whipping boys
Ange Capuozzo’s Six Nations-ending shoulder injury has been a blow to their chances of making history against England
Their forwards have a more-than-solid set-piece, as they did in Castrogiovanni’s day, but now behind the scrum Italy have pace and panache in the likes of star centres Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello and former England training squad member Louis Lynagh, the wing.
A Six Nations-ending shoulder injury suffered by Ange Capuozzo is a blow to their chances of making history against England. Rugby and the Six Nations continues to be a big part of Castrogiovanni’s life. But it is not the be all and end all. On Saturday, he will play wheelchair rugby in Rome to support a charity initiative before heading to the Stadio Olimpico. Since retirement, he has worked in the more glamorous world of television as a presenter on Italian show Tú sí que vales.
Quite the change from the brutal realities of propping the scrum at international level.
‘The format of the show is a bit like Britain’s Got Talent,’ Castrogiovanni adds. ‘Of course, I would have liked to have played my whole life.
‘But it’s not possible. Rugby taught me well for TV. Preparation, focus, how to manage pressure. I love it. In Italy we get maybe 32 per cent of the TV audience. It’s big pressure, but that is good.’
We finish on Castrogiovanni’s time in England.
‘Leicester was my best club,’ he adds, taking a trip down memory lane.
‘I left a piece of my heart there. We won many things. The Tigers made me the player and character I am.
‘It was a beautiful time in my life. The love of the fans was something I’d never felt before. The style of play suited me a lot. The club was full of really tough people – Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Manu Tuilagi. I did end up in France eventually, but at one point I was going to leave earlier.
In retirement, Castrogiovanni has worked in the more glamorous world of television as a presenter on Italian show Tú sí que vales, which he compares to Britain’s Got Talent
‘When the fans heard I might leave, they came to the matches dressed as me and drank beer. When I saw that, I realised I didn’t need to go away.
‘I never wanted to leave such love.’
Like the rest of the rugby world, Castrogiovanni has been hit hard by his former team-mate Moody’s motor neurone disease diagnosis.
‘It’s a horrible situation,’ he says. ‘It’s always the best people. If I go to war tomorrow, Lewis is one of the guys I want to take with me – such a nice guy.
‘Always happy. Always helping everyone. Always helping me.
‘It’s so sad. But in rugby, we are taught we don’t leave anyone behind. We won’t do that with Lewis. Apart from it being such a horrible situation, it’s been beautiful to see the rugby world react to it. It is these sorts of situations that show we are different to any other sport.’