{{Short description|Irish rugby union player}} {{Use British English|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Victor Costello | image = | caption = | birth_name = Victor Costello | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1970|10|23}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{convert|1.96|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|122|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} | ru_position = [[Number eight (rugby union)|Number 8]], [[Flanker (rugby union)|Blindside flanker]] | amatyears1 = 1992–1994 | amatyears2 = 1994-1996/1997-2005 | amatteam1 = [[Blackrock College RFC|Blackrock College]] | amatteam2 = [[St. Mary's College RFC|St. Mary's College]] | ru_amupdate = 11 July 2014 | repteam1 = [[Ireland national rugby union team|Ireland]] | repyears1 = 1996–2004 | repcaps1 = 39 | reppoints1 = 20 | ru_ntupdate = 11 July 2014 | years1 = 1996–1997 | clubs1 = [[London Irish RFC|London Irish]] | apps1 = 8 | points1 = 5 | ru_clubupdate = 11 July 2014 | super1 = | superyears1 = | superapps1 = | superpoints1 = | ru_currentclub = retired | super14update = | province1 = [[Connacht Rugby|Connacht]] | province2 = [[Leinster Rugby|Leinster]] | provinceyears1 = 1993–1995 | provinceyears2 = 1995-1996/1997-2005 | provinceapps1 = | provinceapps2 = 121 | provincepoints1 = | provincepoints2 = 80 | ru_provinceupdate = 11 July 2014 | repsevensyears1 = | repsevensteam1 = | ru_sevensnationalcaps = | ru_sevensnationalpoints = | ru_sevensupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | sooyears = | sooteam = | soocaps = | soopoints = | sooupdate = | occupation = | family = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | school = [[Blackrock College]] | university = }}
'''Victor Carton Patrick Costello''' (born 23 October 1970) is a retired Irish [[rugby union]] player and Olympic shot-putter.<ref name=r1/><ref>{{cite web|title=Irish Olympic Throwers|url=http://homepage.eircom.net/~irishthrowersclub/Irish%20Olympians.html|work=Irish Throwers Club}}</ref>
==Athletics career== Costello is a former five-time Irish [[shot put]] champion;<ref name=the42>{{cite web |url=https://www.the42.ie/victor-costello-rugby-olympics-1992-2903314-Aug2016/|title=I was breaking my ass for 10 years in the shot put and then something like that happens|date=August 2016 |access-date=31 July 2017}}</ref> he finished in 22nd place at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] in Barcelona.<ref name=r1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418101631/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/victor-costello-1.html Victor Costello] Sports-Reference.com</ref><ref name=RugbyRet/><ref name=the42 />
==Rugby career== Playing senior rugby throughout the 1990s until his retirement in 2005,<ref name=RugbyRet>[http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2005/0316/190904-costello/ Costello to retire at end of the season] RTÉ Support, 16 March 2005</ref> Costello's rugby career with [[Leinster Rugby|Leinster]] and [[Ireland national rugby union team|Ireland]] straddled the amateur and professional eras. He was part of the Irish team at the 2003 Rugby World Cup<ref name=r1/> and also had spells with [[Connacht Rugby|Connacht]] and [[London Irish RFC|London Irish]].<ref name=LeinsRet/>
===Irish Rugby player file=== *Official Leinster caps: 126 *Points scored: 80 (16 tries) *Celtic League/Cup caps: 38 (5 tries) *Heineken Cup caps: 57 (5 tries) *Senior debut: Friendly, 46–11 win v Natal XV at Anglesea Road, 25 October 1995 *Heineken Cup debut: 24–21 win v Milan in Italy, 1 November 1995 *Ireland caps: 39 (January 1996 – 2004) *Ireland points: 20 (4 tries) *Ireland "A" caps: 9 *Ireland Under-21 caps: 2 *Ireland Schools caps: 4 *Leinster Under-20/21 caps: 1
==Other work and family== Costello provides TV and radio analysis for [[RTÉ Sport]] on-field events in major [[Track and field|athletics championships]], including the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]].<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0713/1224319965059.html RTÉ to provide 13 hours a day of coverage from London 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713075858/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0713/1224319965059.html |date=13 July 2012 }} Irish Times, 13 July 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.rte.ie/about/pressreleases/2012/0712/120712olympiccoverage.html Let the Games Begin as RTÉ announces 2,300 hours of Olympic coverage] RTÉ Sport, 12 July 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.rte.ie/about/pressreleases/2011/0203/6nations03022011.html RTÉ Sport Kicks Off RBS 6 Nations Coverage] RTÉ Sport, 3 February 2011</ref> He also works as a pilot for [[Ryan Air]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1031/1224257763055.html|title=Helping to tackle a new career|work=Irish Times|date=10 October 2009|archive-date=21 October 2012|access-date=29 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021081742/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1031/1224257763055.html|url-status=dead}}{{subscription required}}</ref> and is a committee member of the [[rugby sevens]] club, [[Shamrock Warriors RFC|Shamrock Warriors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/728-ireland-take-first-step-on-the-7s-ladder.html|title=Ireland take first step on the 7s ladder|access-date=5 August 2012|date=12 April 2011|publisher=Scrum Queens|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104133236/http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/728-ireland-take-first-step-on-the-7s-ladder.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His sister Suzanne is an Irish international hockey player, sprinter and director of the [[Samaritans (Charity)]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2007/0328/ireland/mhaumhsngbid/|title=Victor Costello's sister becomes charity director|date=28 March 2007|work=BreakingNews.ie|archive-date=20 March 2014|access-date=5 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320040528/http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2007/0328/ireland/mhaumhsngbid/|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father [[Paddy Costello (rugby union)|Paddy]] was also a shot putter and Irish International rugby player, playing [[Rugby union positions#4. .26 5. Lock|second row]].<ref name=LeinsRet>{{cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0316/sport/kfsnmhsneyoj/|title=Leinster's Costello to retire|date=16 March 2005|work=BreakingNews.ie|archive-date=20 March 2014|access-date=5 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320040526/http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0316/sport/kfsnmhsneyoj/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby/ireland/victor-costello-4159/irish-caps-part-1-1996-01_a02727/ Victor Costello] Sporting Heroes *[http://www.irishrugby.ie/squads/ireland_player_search.php?player=3753&includeref=dynamic Victor Costello] IrishRugby.ie
{{Ireland Squad 2003 World Cup}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Costello, Victor}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1970 births]] [[Category:Ireland international rugby union players]] [[Category:Leinster Rugby players]] [[Category:London Irish players]] [[Category:Connacht Rugby players]] [[Category:Irish rugby union players]] [[Category:St Mary's College RFC players]] [[Category:Blackrock College RFC players]] [[Category:Irish men shot putters]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic athletes for Ireland]] [[Category:Rugby union flankers]] [[Category:Rugby union number eights]] [[Category:People educated at Blackrock College]] [[Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players]]