Walter Pigatto

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Rugby Historian & Collector

Walter Pigatto is an Italian rugby collector, statistician, referee and journalist. His connection with rugby began in 1968, when he moved to L’Aquila, a city with a proud rugby tradition. In early 1972, he moved to Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region, where he still lives today.

Highlights

International Rugby Collection: Assembled a collection of approximately 7,600 rugby badges from around the world, alongside books and match programmes.

Rugby Statistics: Contributed his knowledge to documenting the history of Italian rugby and its international players.

Journalism & Research: Worked as a freelance journalist, sharing his interest in rugby history, statistics and memorabilia.

Loyal Supporter of L’Aquila Rugby: Despite moving away in 1972, Walter maintained close ties with his beloved club. For years, he sent newspaper clippings about rival teams from the Veneto region and attended L’Aquila matches played in those towns.

Preserving Club History: In 2024, he donated historical memorabilia to the L’Aquila club museum, including a poster celebrating the club’s first Italian championship in 1967 and a newspaper clipping from August 1987 featuring the autographs of RC Toulon players following a friendly match in L’Aquila.

Today all these books, programmes, and thousands of badges are warm souvenirs of a lifetime spent in the cradle of rugby. Rugby is not just a game, it is a treasure chest of memories.

Walter Pigatto
September 22, 2018

Contribution

Walter has helped the Rugby Coin Museum discover interesting rugby medals and uncover the stories behind them. His knowledge and experience help us understand the historical significance of these objects and the people connected with them.

By sharing his insights, he helps us preserve the stories behind rugby memorabilia for future generations.