 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 (department), 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.
The France national under-20 rugby union team, also known as France under-20s or France U20(s), is the national under-20 rugby union team of France, under the control of the French Rugby Federation. Competing in the annual Six Nations Under 20s Championship, it is considered to be the feeder team for the France national team.
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