Tito gets ready for his big Tigers’ moment

WHENEVER Leicester decide to hand Pumas international Juaquin Diaz Bonilla his first league start, they can be confident the fly-half duties will be in a safe pair of hands.

Known as ‘Tito’, after former Argentina goalkeeper Roberto ‘Tito’ Bonano, because of his ability between the sticks growing up in football-mad Buenos Aires, Bonilla has had only three bench appearances to date. But with George Ford away with England over the next six weeks, more opportunities look set to come his way.

“When I signed here, I knew that Fordy was the number 10. He is a great player and I can learn a lot from him,” the fluent English speaker said.

“The rugby in England is different and I am trying to learn everything I can from all the 10s at the club.

“In Super Rugby you work on all the skills and you are always looking for holes to attack but, maybe here, because of the weather, it is more about strategy.”

Bonilla narrowly failed to make it to the last World Cup. Instead, he had a brief and enjoyable spell at Racing 92 while the tournament was on in Japan.

“It was frustrating not to get to the World Cup, I missed out in the last pick.”

Bonilla’s last appearance for Argentina came against South Africa in August 2019.

Because of Covid-19, Bonilla has barely played rugby since then. At Racing 92, he made six appearances and three more for Jaguares on his return to Super Rugby.

“It was tough, we were in lockdown for six months back in Argentina,” said the 31-year-old.

“I live in a flat so I moved to my mum’s house because she had a garden. I took some balls and did some running and passing with my girlfriend.”

At Leicester, he finds himself one of the growing Argentinian contingent: Tomas Lavanini, who announced this week he is leaving Welford Road at the end of the season, Matias Moroni, Julian Montoya and Facundo Gigena