Argentina legend Agustin Creevy extends his career beyond 40 making ‘sensational’ URC move
Argentina's Los Pumas Agustin Creevy waves to fans at the end of a rugby championship test match between Argentina and Australia in La Plata.
Legendary Los Pumas hooker Agustin Creevy will extend his career beyond his 40th birthday after joining Italian club Benetton.
The 39-year-old was not offered a contract extension at Sale Sharks at the end of the 2023/24 season and considered retirement but will extend his career.
During the Rugby Championship, Creevy earned his final cap for his country in the round three clash against Australia making his 110th appearance.
Agustin Creevy extends his career
After that match, the front rower hinted that he could still play another season of professional rugby if the right deal came around.
“I will think about whether I want to continue playing professional rugby,” he told Reuters.
The right deal has seemingly come as the Argentina great has signed with Benetton until the end of the 2024/25 season.
“A sensational signing for Benetton Rugby,” a club statement read.
“The green and white franchise is happy to announce the signing of Agustìn Creevy. The hooker, who will join the team on Monday 21 October, has signed a contract until 30 June 2025.”
Commenting on his decision to join the Italian URC team, Creevy added: “I am really very happy to be part of the Treviso family. It is a club where there are many of my friends and above all I have a lot of respect for the team.
“In recent years it has grown a lot and has had great championships. The URC is the only tournament I have yet to play in during my career, and personally, Italy is a country that I really like, its people and its history make it an incredible place to live and above all to play rugby.
“My goal is to play a lot, have fun, be able to share my experience with the younger guys and why not, fight to aim for great goals.”
‘Mother hen’ Creevy
The decision to join Benetton means that Creevy is extending his professional playing career to 18 years having first played for Biarritz back in 2007.
He has also turned out for fellow French teams Clermont and Montpellier, as well as Premiership clubs Worcester Warriors, London Irish and Sale Sharks.
The hooker also represented the Jaguares in Super Rugby and Argentine clubs San Luis and Pampas XV during his career.
“We are very happy to be able to formalise the signing of a player of Creevy’s calibre, a profile that certainly needs no introduction,” Benetton’s general manager Antonio Pavanello said.
“His signing reflects our desire to insert an experienced player into a delicate role such as that of hooker. Furthermore, in the department today we have Maile, Bernasconi and Manfredi who in the coming months could be selected by their respective national teams and we have the duty to be ready should this happen.
“Last but not least, Agustìn will certainly be able to act as a “mother hen” for the young players who orbit in our squad, in a role that also requires the right maturation times for the players who cover it.”
