Not bad for a 33-year-old lock, who has spent more than 15 years plugging away in the engine room and amassing 104 caps for Italy, having become the youngest every captain of the Azzurri against New Zealand in 2002.
Zebre may still sit bottom of the RaboDirect PRO12 table but with four games to go they have already doubled their points tally from their debut season last time out.
Completing the double over Cardiff Blues ranks as a key highlight for Bortolami and co but their very first victory at the Stadio XXV Aprile, against Italian rivals Treviso, is surely up there for the Zebre stalwart - especially after he scored a try in a gallant defeat in the reverse fixture.
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