In Tucumán they said that “El Mono” was the most Cordovan of the Tucumans, it is that Nicolás Rizzo was forged in his beloved Tala RC, but left his mark on that province of Northwestern Argentina (NOA). Today, rugby mourns his death. He was 77 years old and was an emblem of this sport.
He was the main coach of the greatest triumph of national team rugby in the NOA, when from his role as main coach, Los Naranjas beat France, in June 1992, in a match that was played on the Atlético de Tucumán field.
In his last interview, carried out a month ago by Third Time NOA, “El Mono” said that Tucuman rugby gave him his fire. “My human and sports part. I gave them what I sucked in Tala”.
He also said that the Villa Warcalde club was his salvation: “I had a habit of playing town for money and Tala rugby saved me from wasting time and money on succulent bets. A club that from its imprint gave me a pattern of conduct that I will carry until the end of my life. I had the honor of wearing the black and white shirt playing as a right prop, a third line and in some opportunities as a center if they asked me to”.
When they asked him about the clubs or teams he went through, he did not hesitate in his answers. Tala RC was his life; Los Tarcos, the club that gave him the opportunity to train Tucuman rugby; Tucumán Rugby, the place where he made countless friends and the orange team, a challenge that allowed him to be part of the rich history of this sport in the NOA province.
Rugby cries the goodbye of the “Monkey”.