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The France national rugby union team represents the French Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union matches. Colloquially known as Le XV de France, the team traditionally wears blue shirts with a Gallic rooster embroidered on the chest, white shorts and red socks in reference to the French national flag. Les Bleus mostly play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship along with England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. France have won the tournament on 26 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 10 times.
The Top 14 is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the France National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism of LNR. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Rugby Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14. The competition was previously known as the Top 16.
The Stade Yves-du-Manoir is a rugby, track and association football stadium in Colombes, near Paris, France.
Martín Leandro Castrogiovanni is an Italian-Argentine retired rugby union player. He was born in Paraná, Argentina, but qualified for Italy through his heritage. Castrogiovanni moved to Italy as a teenager and represented the Italian national team 119 times over 14 years. In Italy he played for Calvisano between 2001 and 2006, before moving to England to play for Leicester Tigers where he played 145 games over seven seasons, winning four Premiership Rugby titles. In 2013 he moved to Toulon where he won a Heineken Cup, before finishing his career with Racing 92 in Paris.
Racing 92 is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity domed stadium Paris La Défense Arena, located near the La Défense business district.
Thomas Lombard, is a French rugby union player.
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The 2016–17 Top 14 competition was the 118th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2015–16 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Bayonne and Lyon in place of the two relegated teams, Agen and Oyonnax. It marked the first time that both promoted teams had returned on their first opportunity after relegation.
Antoine Dupont is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Top 14 club Toulouse and captains the France national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the world and of his generation.
Romain Ntamack is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team.
Thomas Ramos is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team. Ramos is considered to be one of the best fullbacks and place-kickers in the world.
Grégory Alldritt is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Top 14 club La Rochelle and the France national team.
Louis Rees-Zammit is a Welsh former rugby union wing. He played for Gloucester in the English Premiership and for Wales at national level. In 2021, Rees-Zammit was selected to tour with the British & Irish Lions. On 16 January 2024, he left rugby union to join the NFL International Player Pathway.
Ange Capuozzo is a professional rugby union player who plays as a full-back or a wing for French Top 14 club Toulouse and the Italian national team.
Antoine Hastoy is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club La Rochelle and the France national team.
Matis Perchaud is a French rugby union player, who plays for Aviron Bayonnais.
Matthias Halagahu is a French rugby union player, who plays for Toulon.
Esteban Abadie is a French rugby union player, who plays for Toulon.
References
- ↑ "Player profile". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ↑ de Longevialle, Arthur (14 February 2017). "Vidéo. Top14. Brice Dulin assure le spectacle en marquant grâce à une reprise de volée". Le Rugbynistère (in French). Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ↑ Bové, Hugo (17 January 2024). "Tournoi des 6 Nations - XV de France : Halagahu, Gibert, Depoortère... Qui sont les cinq nouveaux joueurs appelés par Fabien Galthié ?". L'Indépendant (in French). Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ↑ "6 Nations. Grégory Alldritt capitaine, six novices, des surprises… La liste des Bleus est dévoilée". Ouest-France (in French). 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ↑ "France Six Nations squad: Alldritt named captain with six debutants picked". Evening Standard. Reuters. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
