Anthony Laffranchi

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Anthony Laffranchi bigraphy, stories - Australian rugby league player

Anthony Laffranchi : biography

16 November 1980 –

Anthony Laffranchi (born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales) is an Australian professional rugby league player for St. Helens in the European Super League. He primarily plays in the . He previously played for the Wests Tigers (with whom he won the 2005 NRL premiership). He was educated at Mt St Patrick College.

Playing career

Wests Tigers

Laffranchi played at prop forward in the Tigers’ 2005 NRL Grand Final victory over the North Queensland Cowboys.

Gold Coast Titans

At the end of the Titans’ first season Laffranchi was named co-winner of the club’s inaugural Paul Broughton Medal for best and fairest player of the season with teammate Luke Bailey. After further solid performance in 2008, he was selected to play for the City Country Game representing Country, in which he was awarded Man of the Match.

Laffranchi was named as the 18th man for the Australians for the Centenary Rugby League Test against New Zealand in 2008.

Laffranchi was selected for New South Wales in game I of the 2008 State of origin series. Laffranchi started from the bench and scored the winning try off a Mark Gasnier line break and lead the tackle count (40) for the Blues.

In August 2008, Laffranchi was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, and in October 2008 he was selected in the final 24-man Australia squad.

Laffranchi made his test debut against New Zealand in Australia’s opening RLWC 08 game on 26 October playing in the . He followed this up with a two try effort in Australia’s second match of the World Cup. He was selected for Australia in the one-off test match against New Zealand on 8 May 2009.

He is also of Italian descent and is eligible to represent the Italy national rugby league team. He is an Italian international.http://www.angelfire.com/oz/greekrugbyleague/Ionio%20Cup%20History%20Players%20Italy.htm

Laffranchi has signed a 2 year deal with St Helens starting in 2012.

Career highlights

  • Junior Club: Murwillumbah Colts
  • First Grade Debut: Round 26, Wests Tigers v Sharks at Leichhardt Oval, 2 September 2001
  • First Grade Record: 116 appearances scoring 22 tries (Total: 88 points)
  • First Grade Clubs: 102 appearances for Wests Tigers (18 tries, 72 points) 2001–2006, 30 appearances for Gold Coast Titans (11 tries, 44 points) 2007, 2008
  • Representative Teams: NSW Blues (State of Origin), 2008 (1 try, 4 points), City Country Match 2006 (1 try, 4 points)