Agustín Creevy

Agustín Creevy (born 15 March 1985) is an Argentine professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks and the Argentina national team.[2][3]

Agustín Creevy
Creevy representing Argentina during the Rugby World Cup
Date of birth (1985-03-15) 15 March 1985
Place of birthLa Plata, Argentina
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight106 kg (234 lb; 16 st 10 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Current team Sale Sharks
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2009 Biarritz 8 (0)
2010–2011 Pampas XV 13 (10)
2010 San Luis 9 (35)
2010 Clermont 1 (0)
2011–2013 Montpellier 43 (15)
2013–2015 Worcester Warriors 29 (20)
2016–2020 Jaguares 59 (80)
2020–2023 London Irish 68 (140)
2023– Sale Sharks 0 (0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004 Argentina U21 3 (10)
2005– Argentina 101 (35)
Correct as of 28 August 2023

Club career

Agustín started his rugby career in the San Luis rugby club, in La Plata, Buenos Aires. He made his Argentina debut aged 20 against Japan in 2005,[4] playing as a flanker, two years later he signed his first professional contract with French Top 14 side Biarritz[5] in 2007. However he played very little in his first season in Biarritz and had gone out of international selection contention soon after his debut for Argentina.

In his second season at Biarritz he played just 20 minutes and suffered a lot from a shoulder injury. During his time injured Argentina coach Santiago Phelan suggested he switched position from flanker to hooker, Creevy requested and was granted an early release from his contract with Biarritz in January 2009 to return to Argentina to adapt to playing his new position.

After cementing his status as Argentina's number 2 hooker throughout 2010, Creevy was signed by Clermont[2][5] as a medical joker for the injured Willie Wepener in October 2010 on recommendation from Mario Ledesma. However he only played 2 minutes during his three-month stay at Clermont, and returned to the Pampas XV in 2011. After the Pampas XV's undefeated campaign he was signed by his third Top 14 side Montpellier.[5]

In August 2020, he signed a one year contract with Premiership Rugby side London Irish,[6] ahead of the 2020–21 season.[7][8]

In February 2021, Creevy spoke of the idea of renovating his contract with London Irish, staying in England, and playing in the 2023 World Cup.[9] In the same month, he extended his contract with the club and was joined by compatriot Facundo Gigena, who arrived from Leicester Tigers.[10]

In October 2021, Creevy marked tries in four consecutive games and grew his desire of returning to the Pumas.[11] The tries were against rivals Sale Sharks, Northampton Saints, Leicester Tigers and Gloucester.[12] Creevy, at age 36, also started in the last five games and disputed 286 minutes.[13]

On 7 January 2022, Creevy renewed his contract with London Irish.[14][15] In January 2022, Creevy was expulsed for London Irish, for head butting opponent, Jamie Ritchie,[16] from Edinburgh in a game for the Challenge Cup.[17] On 19 January, London Irish announced on their website that Creevy's disciplinary outcome was a three-week suspension and that he would be free to play again on 7 February.[18][19] The disciplinary committee affirmed that the suspension was for six weeks, but good records and no aggravating factors, the suspension was reduced to three weeks.[20]

After the suspension of London Irish from the Premiership, Creevy joined rival Premiership side Sale Sharks ahead of the 2023/24 season.[21][22]

International career

Remarkably, within months Creevy was selected to play for the Argentina Jaguars a few months later in May 2009 to tour Namibia, and was retained for the 2009 Churchill Cup. He was then selected for the senior Argentina side for the 2009 November tests and replaced Alberto Vernet Basualdo as the Pumas understudy to Mario Ledesma, all in less than a year of playing hooker.

In 2011, Creevy was captain the Pumas under coach Santiago Phelan,[23] for Argentina's second warm up match against the French Barbarians however it didn't go well for him as Argentina struggled massively at the lineout and lost 21-18. He also captained the Pumas against Worcester. Creevy was selected by Argentina for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and played in all matches off the bench.

Creevy is known as a mobile hooker with some very good ball handling skills for a hooker, his good offloading skills have led him to become called "Sonny Bill" Creevy (after the All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams whose trademark is offloading) by some Montpellier fans.[24]

Agustín is part of the Argentina squad that competes in the Rugby Championship, being captain since the 2014 Rugby Championship and until the 2018 Rugby Championship.

He was part of the national team that competed at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and 2019 Rugby World Cup.

In 2016, Creevy received an offer from a club in Ireland before returning to Argentina to play for Jaguares.[25] He returned Argentina with the intention of playing for the Pumas.[26]

Personal life

Creevy was born in La Plata.[27]

In November 2020, Creevy tributed the passing of Diego Maradona in an interview and also with his team, London Irish, in a game against Leicester where Creevy used a black jersey with the number 10 and name Maradona inscribed on it.[28]

Creevy is ambassador for Assist Card.[29]

References

  1. "Agustín Creevy player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. "FICHA JUGADOR - UAR - UNIÓN ARGENTINA DE RUGBY". Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  3. "Official RWC 2011 Site - Argentina - Agustín Creevy". Archived from the original on 30 June 2012.
  4. "ESPN Scrum - Agustin Creevy". ESPNscrum.
  5. "The Rugby Championship Players to Watch - Agustín Creevy". Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  6. "Rugby - A Pleno Rugby".
  7. "Agustin Creevy signs with Exiles | 11th August 2020 | News". London Irish. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  8. "Agustín Creevy extendió el contrato con London Irish y compartirá equipo con "Facu" Gigena | Rugby".
  9. "Rugby - A Pleno Rugby".
  10. "Agustín Creevy extendió el contrato con London Irish y compartirá equipo con "Facu" Gigena | Rugby".
  11. Casanova, Nicolás (20 October 2021). "Agustín Creevy y una notable racha de tries en Inglaterra que alimenta su mayor deseo: El regreso a los Pumas". La Nación.
  12. Casanova, Nicolás (20 October 2021). "Agustín Creevy y una notable racha de tries en Inglaterra que alimenta su mayor deseo: El regreso a los Pumas". La Nación.
  13. Casanova, Nicolás (20 October 2021). "Agustín Creevy y una notable racha de tries en Inglaterra que alimenta su mayor deseo: El regreso a los Pumas". La Nación.
  14. "El rugbier argentino Agustín Creevy renueva con London Irish".
  15. "Agustín Creevy jugará otra temporada en el rugby inglés | Rugby".
  16. "La EPCR suspendió a Agustín Creevy por tres semanas". 19 January 2022.
  17. "Rugby - A Pleno Rugby".
  18. "Disciplinary outcome – Agustin Creevy | 19th January 2022 | News". 19 January 2022.
  19. "La EPCR suspendió a Agustín Creevy por tres semanas". 19 January 2022.
  20. "La EPCR suspendió a Agustín Creevy por tres semanas". 19 January 2022.
  21. "Sharks sign Argentina hooker Creevy". Sale Sharks. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  22. "Agustín Creevy signs for Sale Sharks". Americas Rugby News. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  23. Dapelo, Santiago (11 June 2011). "Agustín Creevy: "Sueño con jugar el Mundial y triunfar en el exterior"". La Nación.
  24. "The "Sonny Bill" Creevy offload". 17 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  25. "Agustín Creevy: "Como en una empresa, un líder se hace entre todos"".
  26. "Agustín Creevy: "Como en una empresa, un líder se hace entre todos"".
  27. "Agustín Creevy extendió el contrato con London Irish y compartirá equipo con "Facu" Gigena | Rugby".
  28. "Agustín Creevy, el Puma que homenajeó a Diego Maradona: "Nunca vi un deportista como él en todo el mundo"". 30 November 2020.
  29. "Agustín Creevy: "Como en una empresa, un líder se hace entre todos"".
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