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Italian club FEMI-CZ Rugby Rovigo Delta has confirmed the arrival of Vittorio Lastra Masotti for the 2023-2024 season. Rovigo have signed the Chilean prop following his involvement in the country’s first-ever Rugby World Cup campaign.
Lastra played in one of Chile’s four Rugby World Cup matches. He featured against England in Lille. He was a leading player for Los Cóndores during the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers. Lastra started at tight head prop in the history-making win over the USA in Denver to qualify for France 2023.
He is to be one of two South American Rugby World Cup players at Rovigo this season. The other is Puma Lautaro Bazán Vélez who will feature in the Bronze Final against England in Paris on Friday.
Rodrigo is also home to former Cafeteros Pro center Facundo Ferrario. Additional Argentine players are second-rower Alfonso Zottola and flanker Lautaro Casado Sandri from Rio Cuarto, center Rafael Andrés Lertora from San Juan, and fly half Ignacio Dogliani from Mar del Plata.
Lastra is able to play at prop on both sides of the scrum. He has done so during his test career which began in 2017. Lastra was a replacement loose head prop on debut for Chile against Brazil. He earned his 23rd cap against England in Lille.
The move marks a return to Italy for the Chilean. Lastra played for Valsugana Rugby Padova in 2018 before moving to Verona. His professional career continued back home where he played Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) and Super Rugby Americas for Selknam.
Vittorio Lastra Masotti is a native of the Pacific city of Viña del Mar. He is a rugby product of Old Macks. He is 183 cm tall and weighs 118 kg.
