 Gailleton with France U20 in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 July 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Croydon, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Émilien Gailleton (born 13 July 2003) is a French rugby union player, who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Section Paloise and the France national team.
Émilien Gailleton was born in Croydon, England, to a French father and a British mother. [1] He moved with his family to Cahors, Lot, at the age of three. [2] He began playing rugby in 2008 with Cahors Rugby, before joining the SU Agen academy in 2017. [3]
Gailleton made his professional debut for SU Agen on 15 October 2021, at the age of 18, in a match against Rugby Club Vannes during the 2021–22 Rugby Pro D2 season.
In December 2021, Gailleton signed with Section Paloise, joining them for the 2022–23 Top 14 season. [4] Despite interest from ASM Clermont Auvergne and Stade Toulousain, he chose Pau, partly due to the opportunity to work again with Sébastien Piqueronies, [5] whom he had known during his time at the Centre national du rugby in Marcoussis with the French youth teams. [6]
During his first season in the Top 14, Gailleton scored 14 tries in 24 matches, finishing as the league’s top try-scorer. [7] His performance earned him a nomination for the Oscars Midi Olympique in both the Espoir and Oscar d'Or categories and inclusion in the league's team of the season. [8]
In the 2023–24 Top 14 season, Gailleton continued to develop as a player, evolving into a more well-rounded player although he faced stiff competition from other emerging talents. [9] This apparent slowdown in his progression led to increased competition from emerging young talents in the France national team. Nevertheless, Gailleton seized upcoming opportunities during the end-of-season international tours. He concluded the season with eighteen line breaks in twenty-four Top 14 matches. [10]
In the 2024–25 Top 14 season, Gailleton solidified his role as a central figure for Section Paloise, demonstrating his development into a complete player. [11] He expanded his tactical repertoire, showcasing his ability to create plays, structure the defense, and regain offensive efficiency. [12]
Gailleton was selected for the France U20 team for the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship at just 17. [13] He played in four matches, starting in three. In 2022, he captained the team during the Six Nations Under 20s Championship, scoring a try against Scotland. [14] He also played in the U20 Six Nations Summer Series, adding further international experience. [6]
On 30 October 2022, Gailleton was first called by Fabien Galthié to the France senior team for the Autumn internationals. [15] Gailleton did not play. In 2023, he was included in the extended squad for the 2023 Six Nations Championship [16] but was later released to rejoin the U20s team. He made his senior debut on 5 August 2023 in a test match against Scotland.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 July 2024 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Argentina | 21–18 | 33–25 | 2024 Argentina and Uruguay test series |
| 2 | 9 November 2024 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  Japan | 10–0 | 52–12 | 2024 Autumn internationals |
| 3 | 31 January 2025 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  Wales | 38–0 | 43–0 | 2025 Six Nations |
Gailleton is bilingual, speaking both English and French fluently. His language skills have been useful in international competitions, especially when captaining the France U20 team.
