Joshua Furno (born 21 October 1989) is an Italian rugby union player who plays Lock for US Dax in Pro D2. He also represents Italy as a member of the Italian national team.[1][2]

Joshua Furno
Birth nameRaffaele Joshua Furno
Date of birth (1989-10-21) 21 October 1989 (age 35)
Place of birthMelbourne, Australia
Height2.02 m (6 ft 7 12 in)
Weight118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock / Flanker
Current team US Dax
Youth career
2008-2009 F.I.R. Academy
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2010 Viadana 4 (0)
2010–2012 Aironi 32 (5)
2012–2013 Narbonne 19 (20)
2013–2014 Biarritz 24 (5)
2014−2016 Newcastle 20 (20)
2016−2017 Zebre 18 (0)
2017 Otago 9 (15)
2018 Western Force 0 (0)
2019−2020 San Diego Legion 8 (10)
2019 Wellington 11 (5)
2020−2021 Biarritz 7 (5)
2021 San Diego Legion 5 (15)
2022 Bourg-en-Bresse 9 (0)
2022−2023 Zebre Parma 9 (5)
2023− Dax ()
Correct as of 1 Oct 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008−2009 Italy Under 20 12 (5)
2011 Emerging Italy 3 (0)
2012−2017 Italy 37 (10)
Correct as of 5 February 2017

Career

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Raffaele Joshua Furno was born in Australia but grew up in Italy in the southern town of Benevento. He began his career with Viadana, then played with successor team Aironi in the Pro12 before their dissolution in 2012.

He then moved to RC Narbonne in the French second division. Furno signed for Biarritz Olympique who compete in the Top 14 during the 2013-14 season. After the experience with Biarritz, on 14 May 2014, Furno moved to England to sign for Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership ahead of the 2014–15 and 2015-16 seasons.[3] In 2016−2017 season, he played for Zebre in the Pro12. After the experience with Otago and Wellington in New Zealand and San Diego Legion in United States, in 2022 he came back in France in order to play for Bressane in ProD2.[4][5] In August 2022, after 5 year, he come back to Zebre Parma for 2022−23 season.[6][7]

In 2008 and 2009 Furno was named in the Italy Under 20 squad and in 2011 he was part of Emerging Italy squad. He made his test debut with Italian national team as a substitute in a 13–6 win against Scotland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship.[8]

On 22 February 2014, he scored his first try for Italy in a Six Nations defeat to Scotland, and was subsequently named Man of the Match. On 24 August 2015, he was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Joshua Furno Profile". Itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Nouveau seconde ligne de renom pour l'USDAX!". US DAX. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Newcastle Falcons sign Italy lock Joshua Furno from Biarrritz Olympique". The Guardian. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  4. ^ "San Diego Legion Signs Josh Furno". 5 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Joshua Furno Profile". US Bressane Rugby. 30 January 2022.
  6. ^ "IL SECONDA LINEA AZZURRO JOSHUA FURNO TORNA A VESTIRE LA MAGLIA DELLE ZEBRE". Zebre Parma.it (in Italian). 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  7. ^ "TREDICI ATLETI E UN COMPONENTE DELLO STAFF TECNICO DELLE ZEBRE SALUTANO IL CLUB". Zebre Parma. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Joshua Furno". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  9. ^ Rugby World Cup, Scelti i 31 Azzurri per Inghilterra 2015
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