Felipe Contepomi

Felipe Contepomi

Full name	Felipe Contepomi
Date of birth	20 August 1977 (1977-08-20)
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	103 kg (16 st 3 lb)
School	Cardinal Newman College (Buenos Aires)
University	Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Notable relative(s)	Manuel Contepomi (twin brother)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fly-half, Centre
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1999–2003 2003–2009 2009–2011 2011-	Bristol Leinster Toulon Stade Français	50 116 16	(618) (1225) (86)
correct as of 2010-04-24.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1998–present	Argentina	75	(588)
correct as of 09/10/2011.
Sevens national teams
Years	Club / team		Comps
1998–2002	Argentina		9
correct as of 2007-08-05.

Felipe Contepomi (born 20 August 1977 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine rugby union footballer. A fly-half and centre, he currently plays for Stade Francais in the French Top 14. He is a key player for Argentina. His twin brother Manuel is also a Puma.

Career

Contepomi during 2011 Rugby World Cup

Contepomi started playing rugby for Newman in Buenos Aires. In 2003 he joined Leinster from Bristol on a four-year contract following Bristol's relegation in the 2002-03 Zurich Premiership.

He played a major role in Leinster's run in the 2005-06 Heineken Cup, helping Leinster to a 41–35 win over Cup holders Toulouse, scoring 21 points in the process and winning the man of the match award. That year he was top scorer in both the 2005-06 Celtic League and the Heineken Cup.

In late January 2006, Contepomi's girlfriend, Paula, gave birth to their daughter, Catalina. Only hours later, Contepomi played for Leinster the Magners League match against the Border Reivers, a game in which he went on to score 22 points.

In November of that year, Agustín Pichot said that Contepomi was a better player than All Black fly-half, Dan Carter, the winner of the 2005 IRB International Player of the Year award.

On 31 May 2007, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in Dublin conferred him with the medical degrees of MB BCh BAO (NUI) LRCP&SI. He subsequently worked in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Contepomi was one of the stars of the Argentina national rugby union team during the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He was the second highest points scorer in the tournament, trailing only Percy Montgomery.

Contepomi was nominated by the IRB as one of five candidates for the 2007 International Player of the Year award, which was won by Bryan Habana. Contepomi won the 2007 Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year award.

On 12 March 2009, it was announced that Contepomi would be leaving Leinster at the end of the season, and that he had signed a 4 year deal to join French side Toulon from the 2009-10 Top 14 season.

Contepomi played a role in the Leinster win over Munster in the Heineken Cup semi-final on 2 May 2009. After scoring a drop goal after 15 minutes in, he was helped off the pitch after suffering a knee injury half an hour in. An MRI scan confirmed he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and was expected to be out of action for 6 months post-op.Almost exactly on schedule, he made his Toulon debut on 21 November against Brive, coming off the bench and scoring a penalty in Toulon's 19–10 win.

Comtepomi won both the Magners League and the Heineken Cup with Leinster.

Honours

Leinster

• Heineken Cup 2008-09
• Magners League 2007-08

Individual

• IRB Player of the Year 2007 – Finalist

External links

• Bristol Rugby profile
• Leinster Rugby profile
• Argentine Rugby Union profile (English)
• Toulonnaise RC profile