Rugby participant, 15, dies in horror automotive crash as loss of life ‘a wound for the entire metropolis’
A teenage sports star has tragically died after his car smashed into a tree while driving home from training with his death mourned as “a wound for the whole city”
Ruggero Canocchi, 15, has died(Image: Jam Press)
A teenage rugby prospect has tragically died after his car smashed into a tree during his way home from training.
Ruggero Canocchi, 15, was conscious at the scene and spoke to police and paramedics. But he sadly died in hospital after two operations failed to stop the internal bleeding he had suffered in the smash. He would have turned 16 in November.
The crash happened near the Arcobaleno Sports Centre in L’Aquila, Italy, shortly after 7pm on Monday, September 14, where Ruggero was driving a mini-car when he lost control for reasons still being examined by traffic police.
Ruggero Canocchi was killed in the car crash(Image: Jam Press)
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The vehicle crossed to the other side of the road and hit the only tree on that stretch. In Italy, 14 and 15-year-olds can legally drive restricted mini-cars, which have a speed capped at about 28mph.
His dad, Fabrizio, a former policeman and Fiamme Oro rugby player, reached the crash scene with officers and ambulance crews. Medics took the teen to San Salvatore Hospital where his condition quickly deteriorated.
Surgeons operated on him on Monday night and again on Tuesday morning. He was sedated in a critical state and died on Tuesday afternoon. He played scrum-half and wing for junior club Rugby Experience.
He was in the U16 side that won the Italian title in June 2025, beating Valsugana Padova 19-17. The schoolboy attended the Ottavio Colecchi Secondary School and had played rugby since childhood.
His club posted pitch photos with the words: “From the first day to the last… together. Goodbye Ruggero, rest in peace.” The Italian Rugby Federation said they were “close to you and embrace you and your family”.
A minute’s silence was ordered at rugby pitches across the country and before the women’s rugby Test against Japan. Mayor Pierluigi Biondi said: “A life cut short at that age is a wound for the whole city.”
He thanked doctors and rescuers who “fought to the last to save his life”. Traffic police are still reconstructing why Ruggero’s mini-car left the road. Juvenile prosecutors may order a post-mortem.
A white-balloon memorial was due at Colle Sapone on Thursday, as reported by NeedToKnow. Local football side L’Aquila 1927 had already played with black armbands.
