Stand-up comedian Vittorio Angelone is a life long rugby fan having started playing the game as a child living in Belfast. 

To this day, he still runs out for Haringey Rhinos when he is not on tour or recording his podcast Mike and Vittorio’s Guide to Parenting with fellow Irish comedian Mike Rice or co-writing with Fin Taylor. 

From his love of custom boots to performing for James Ryan, we discovered the Rugby World of Vittorio Angelone…

My Rugby World with Vittorio Angelone

What is your first rugby memory? It will have been my first-ever rugby training when I was 11. I’m from Northern Ireland and surprise, surprise, like everything else it’s politicised. It was at Malone RFC. People from Belfast think it’s a posh rugby team because the area of Malone is swanky. That’s not where the club is, it’s in a rough part of East Belfast. The rest of the league know them as ‘The Bin Men’. I’d have probably gone to Ravenhill for an Ulster game at that point too. I went to Ulster and then Ipswich football games as that’s where my mum lived. 

Read more: Why Ulster had to part ways with their head coach

You mentioned that rugby was politicised. In what ways? Yes. So I grew up as a Catholic but my parents were keen I played non-Catholic sports, because it’s very easy to grow up and not meet a Protestant. I guess that sounds mad but if you go to Catholic schools and just play Gaelic Football and hurling, you won’t meet a Protestant until you go to university. Rugby and boy scouts are very Protestant in Belfast and I did both. 

USA’s winger Takudzwa Ngwenya (L) runs to score a try in front of South Africa’s winger Bryan Habana during the Rugby union world cup pool A match (AFP via Getty Images)

How was that first training session at Malone RFC? At Christmas when I was 11, I got obsessed with NikeID, where you could design your own boots. I spent days designing them for rugby. They were green, red and white because I was obsessed with being half-Italian then. They had my name on them too. I turned up and the coach, Sam Maloney, a massive bloke with the world’s biggest calves, told me my boots were cool and high-fived me. I still remember that happening to this day, I felt so welcomed. 

What’s the rugby culture like in Northern Ireland? It’s a bit like southern Ireland, it’s a bit of a posh boy sport. My local team was quite working class but most of those playing in Ireland were from the good schools. There’s quite a divide between the schools and clubs system in Ulster. The schools stuff is taking it so much more seriously. There is a stereotype of the rugby boys from the good schools which would have probably put me off if that had been my experience. Luckily I had a nice time with good lads! 

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Who was your childhood hero? A lot of my rugby awareness came from two things growing up. There was a documentary on ESPN about the 2003 England World Cup win. I watched it every day before school and I know so many weird details about that period. So I had a fondness for Jonny Wilkinson. And the other thing was Rugby 06 on the Xbox. It’s a disgrace that we don’t have a good rugby game. I had a mad fondness for Paul Marshall, who played for Ulster at the time. He was such a good tap-and-go merchant. 

Vittorio Angelone idolised Paul Marshall Getty Images)

Do you have a split allegiance between Italy and Ireland? I do. I remember watching Italy playing the flanker Mauro Bergamasco at scrum-half in the Six Nations (against England). Surely there must have been someone else in Italy who was a better option? It was such a rogue decision. He couldn’t pass! That was probably the lowest moment in supporting Italy. The best moment was when we didn’t commit to rucks against England. It was hilarious. Shout-out to Conor O’Shea. 

Do you still play rugby? I play for Haringey Rhinos now that I live in London. I’m a mouthy scrum-half. For a long time I was a classical musician, so I didn’t play because I needed my hands. But once I picked up comedy after university, I went back to it. I can do a gig in a cast if I need to, probably a good story to tell. The last game I played in, I landed on my neck and was like ‘this isn’t a good idea, is it?’. I’ll be at least playing touch until I cannot walk, but I think I’m beyond throwing my head at someone’s knees to stop a try. If it’s good enough for Sam Prendergast not to do… 

Read more: Rapid rise of Cian Prendergast

What would be harder – you playing 80 for Ireland in the Six Nations or Craig Casey doing a tight five? This is where you’re getting to my ego. There is a small part of me that thinks I could do a game at nine. Good protection from the pack, I think I could do it. Out of pure arrogance, I’m saying I’m doing better at nine than Casey is doing at stand-up. 

James Ryan with his hand on his head (Getty Images)

Have you ever seen a player in a strange place? I was doing a gig at the Vauxhall comedy club. I was in the back and the MC asked some big lads in the front row what they did. The fella said he was a rugby player and the MC just kind of moved on. I thought it was going to be like a sevens player or a semi-pro lad. I then came out for my set and looked to the front row and it was James Ryan, the Leinster and Ireland lock. I thought front row? He’s out of position. 

If there was a player in the world who you could tackle, who would it be? It is Sam Prendergast and no one else. 

Best try you’ve ever seen? When Takudzwa Ngwenya absolutely skinned Bryan Habana at the 2007 World Cup. What a moment for world rugby that was!

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