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Nick Civetta has brought a close to his rugby career. The New York native hangs up the boots at the age of 33, having played 35 tests and playing for professional clubs in Italy, England, France, and the USA.
A relative latecomer to the sport after taking it up in college, Civetta’s size and athleticism made him a natural fit. At 6’8″ (2.03m) he was a towering figure at the lineout but developed his overall game leading to selection for the 2019 World Cup. It was an exceptional feat just to reach the tournament after he suffered a serious ankle injury just weeks before the opening game in Japan.
After stints with Lazio and Viadana, Civetta signed with Newcastle Falcons in 2016. That same year he debuted for the Eagles against the New Zealand Māori, winning his first test cap against Romania. Doncaster and Vannes were his next overseas assignments, and he won a ‘blue’ for Oxford in the 2022 Varsity Match.
Civetta’s last pro club appearance was appropriately the 2022 Major League Rugby Final, won by New York. He started both World Cup Qualifiers against Chile in July but missed out on the Repechage tournament with injury. Currently the Chair of the US Rugby Players Association (USRPA), Civetta intends to stay involved in the sport as an administrator and coach.
