Qualified Lawyer Pursues Euro Glory with Dragons Team
Rodrigo Martinez is a 27-year-old Argentine loose-head prop playing for the Dragons. He has balanced top-level rugby with a completed law degree.
Club journey
Martinez signed for Wasps in 2021. He lost that role when the club went into administration.
He then agreed terms with London Irish. That move ended before he played a match when the club also folded.
He settled at the Newport-based region afterwards. He has featured in 41 of 62 possible games for the side.
Recent season and European run
This season Martinez has made 15 appearances. He started in the Challenge Cup victory at Stade Français.
The Paris win sent the Dragons into a quarter-final trip to Zebre in Parma. Martinez will hope the scrums stay dominant there.
International experience
He made his Argentina debut against Australia in 2021. He has earned three senior caps for the Pumas.
Martinez trained with the national squad last autumn. He also played for an Argentina XV against Romania last summer.
Personal life and studies
His son Otto was born in Argentina in September. Martinez returned to Wales ten days after the birth for the season start.
He missed his child’s first two months while based away. The family now live in Wales and he is adapting to parenthood and disrupted sleep.
Martinez completed almost six years of legal study online. He became a qualified lawyer by studying daily for short periods.
Role and strengths
Martinez stresses that everything begins at the scrum for a prop. He cites scrummaging, defence and the breakdown as his main strengths.
He competes for starts with Welsh internationals Wyn Jones and Rhodri Jones. Young prospects Jordan Morris and Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths also push him for selection.
Internal competition has improved standards within the squad. Martinez says that challenge is helping the whole group develop.
The qualified lawyer now chases Euro glory while settled in Wales. He pursues Euro glory with the Dragons team as he aims for further success.
Report by Filmogaz.com.
