Leonardo Ghiraldini will go head to head with Leicester Tigers team-mates this weekend in his national colours.Tigers hooker Ghiraldini wins his 72 cap for Italy as they face England at Twickenham on Saturday, with Dan Cole in the opposite front row and Tom Youngs waiting for an opportunity from the replacements bench.
“I played against some of the Leicester players in the last few years two or three times with Italy, but it will be different as a Leicester player,” said Ghiraldini who has made 17 appearances for the club since his arrival in the summer.
“But it is still a game and we will be friends before and after, but just not for the game!”
The Italian is in a competitive position in the Tigers squad with fellow international Youngs sharing gametime so far, while Neil Briggs and Harry Thacker were in the squad for the Aviva Premiership fixture against Gloucester on Friday and development squad player Jake Farnworth was with England Under-20s.
“It is good, I like those challenges,” he said. “There are good hookers here.
“When I signed for Leicester I knew that, but I chose this club also for that. Every big club has big players in every position, so we do not have just one good prop or one good hooker. We have more in the squad and that is good.”
News
Friendships will have to wait says Ghiraldini
13 February 2015 8:00 PM

Share this article
Articles
Friendships will have to wait says Ghiraldini
13 February 2015 8:00 PM
Quartet of Tigers enjoy Test victories
20 July 2025 2:00 PM
Henrich in USA World Cup squad
20 July 2025 3:30 PM
Radwan wins Premiership Try of the Season
18 July 2025 4:00 PM
Tickets now on sale for PWR Cup clash with Bears
14 July 2025 11:00 AM
Women's Squad 25/26 | Alema re-signs with Tigers
15 May 2025 11:00 AM
Inaugural Women's U23 Development Squad Confirmed
15 July 2025 11:00 AM
Women's team launch U23 development squad
8 July 2025 2:00 PM
What is Target10?
10 July 2025 9:00 AM
Chessum in Lions side for first Test
17 July 2025 6:01 AM
Henderson in Scotland side to play Samoa
16 July 2025 7:01 AM