Fabien Pelous

Last updated

Fabien Pelous
Fabien Pelous - Moudenc's rallye, Toulouse town election, 2008 - 1295.jpg
Fabien Pelous in Toulouse, 2008
Date of birth (1973-12-07) 7 December 1973 (age 50)
Place of birth Toulouse, France
Height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight114 kg (17 st 13 lb)
Occupation(s)Physiotherapist and pro rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, number eight, flanker
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1983–1991 Saverdun ()
1991–1995 SC Graulhet ()
Correct as of 16 September 2007
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1995–1997 Dax ()
1997–2009 Toulouse 222 (60)
Correct as of 29 May 2009
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1995–2007 France 118 (40)
Correct as of 14 October 2007

Fabien Pelous (born 7 December 1973) is a retired French rugby union player. A lock who also occasionally played as a number eight and flanker, [1] he played the bulk of his professional career for Stade Toulousain, and is the all-time leader in appearances for the France national team. He retired as the most-capped lock for any nation in rugby history, with 100 of his 118 France appearances at that position, a record later broken by South Africa's Victor Matfield. [1] Pelous was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2017. [2]

Contents

Early life

The son of a family of local farmers, Pelous was born in Toulouse and was introduced to rugby in Saverdun.

International career

Pelous made his test début on 17 October 1995 against Romania.

He proved himself an inspirational captain for France after succeeding Fabien Galthié ahead of the 2004 RBS 6 Nations and enjoyed immediate success, leading Les Bleus to the Grand Slam in his first year and followed that up with a second-placed finish in 2005.

Pelous missed the summer test matches in 2005 with a serious knee injury. He returned to action in September and helped France to a 26–16 win over Australia in November. However, he was handed a nine-week ban in the aftermath of that victory after being found guilty of elbowing Australia hooker Brendan Cannon.

He was due to equal Philippe Sella's record of 111 caps for France in the opener of the 2007 Six Nations against Italy, but was ruled out of the side due to an ankle injury. After he missed their second Six Nations tie against Ireland, he was ruled out of the entire Six Nations. [3] After his injury troubles continued, [4] hooker Raphaël Ibañez, who had filled in for him as captain during the 2007 Six Nations, was named as France captain for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, with Pelous as unofficial vice-captain. [5] He finally earned his record-equalling 111th cap on 11 August 2007 at Twickenham against England, [6] and took the record by himself a week later in Les Bleus' return match against England at Marseille. [7]

He ended his international career after the 2007 Rugby World Cup with 118 caps, 42 of them as France captain. [8]

He was the first French captain to have beaten Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Club career

Pelous helped Toulouse win the European Cup twice, [8] [9] [10] and the French Championship also three times [8] before retiring from the game in 2009. [8]

Coaching

In April 2009, it was announced that Pelous would retire at the end of the 2008/09 season. During his last season at Toulouse, he took up a part-time role as an assistant coach of France A. [11]

Awards

The night after the 2007 World Cup Final, Pelous was recognized at the IRB Awards, receiving the International Rugby Players' Association Special Merit Award. [12]

Personal life

In his spare time, Pelous is involved in a winemaking venture that he started in 2002 with France football international Djibril Cissé. [13] Pelous' name is the francization of pelós, which means "hairy" in the Occitan language.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian O'Driscoll</span> Irish rugby former player

Brian Gerard O'Driscoll is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. He is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimitri Yachvili</span> Rugby player

Dimitri Yachvili Markarian is a French former rugby union footballer who played as a scrum-half for Biarritz and France. He played for France from 2002 to 2012, earning 61 caps and scoring 373 points. With them he played in the final of the 2011 World Cup losing to New Zealand and won two Grand Slams in 2004 and 2010. In club rugby, he won a European Cup in 2012 and played in two European Cup finals in 2006 and 2010 with Biarritz. With this club, he also won two French championship titles in 2005 and 2006. With his previous club, Gloucester, he was champion of England in 2002. After the end of his playing career, he became a rugby consultant, a career he began while still a player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raphaël Ibañez</span> French rugby union player

Raphaël Ibañez is a retired French rugby union footballer. A hooker, he played for the France national team 98 times, and as captain 41 times. After a career in club rugby management, he became Team Manager for France in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mauro Bergamasco</span> Rugby player

Mauro Bergamasco is an Italian former rugby union player who last played for Zebre. He predominantly played as an open-side flanker, although his versatility meant that he had also played a number of international games on the wing, and started at scrum-half in an infamously error-prone performance. He was considered to be one of Italy's best players in his preferred position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fabien Galthié</span> French rugby union player and manager

Fabien Galthié is a French rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of the France national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Six Nations Championship</span> Rugby union competition

The 2007 Six Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 113th series of the international championship. Fifteen matches were played over five weekends from 3 February to 17 March.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thierry Dusautoir</span> French former rugby union player

Thierry Dusautoir is a French former rugby union player who last played for France at international level and Toulouse in the French Top 14 club competition. He was called the "Dark Destroyer" during his career. Dusautoir was considered a strong ball carrier and possessed incredibly powerful and effective tackling. He was considered the best tackler in the world during his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Laporte</span> Rugby player

Bernard Laporte is a rugby player, coach and former French Secretary of State for Sport. From 1999 to 2007, Laporte was the head coach of the France national team. In 2011, he became the head coach at Toulon, after Philippe Saint-André became the new national team coach. He was previously the coach at Stade Français. He was the first fully professional head coach of France. Laporte was president of the French Rugby Federation from December 2016 to January 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rory Best</span> Ireland international rugby union player

Rory David Best is an Irish former rugby union player who was the captain of the Ireland national team from 2016 to 2019. He played hooker for Ulster and was registered for Banbridge RFC. Best earned 124 caps for Ireland, making his debut in 2005 and retiring at the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, his fourth World Cup. Best is one of the most capped rugby players of all time, as well as the most-capped forward to represent Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alun Wyn Jones</span> Wales and British Lions international rugby union player

Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He played most of his career for Ospreys and for the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 13 for the British & Irish Lions, and also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the second most Wales caps as captain. He retired from rugby in 2023.

Throughout August 2007, various teams prepared for the Rugby World Cup in France with a short series of test matches, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere and involving the RBS Six Nations sides. In addition, South Africa played one test in Scotland following the 2007 Tri Nations and Argentina one test in their home country and one in Wales. The tests were effectively a replacement for the usual Autumn international series in November which does not take place in World Cup years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Lièvremont</span> Rugby player

Marc Lièvremont is a former rugby union footballer and was the head coach of the French national rugby union team. He played as a back-row forward for France, gaining 25 caps from 1995 to 1999, and was selected in France's 1999 Rugby World Cup squad. He also played with the French Rugby Sevens team and with the French Barbarians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Servat</span> Rugby player

William Servat is a former French rugby union footballer and is currently an assistant coach for the France national team. Servat played as a hooker for Toulouse in the Top 14 club competition and for France at international level. Servat was regarded as one of the top hookers in the world in the late 2000's, culminating in 2010 Grand Slam & European Cup wins.

The 2008 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup, the 13th season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 24 May 2008 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The match was contested by Munster of Ireland and Toulouse of France. Munster won their second Heineken Cup title with a 16–13 win.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie George</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Jamie Edward George is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens and captains the England national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasil Kakovin</span> Georgian rugby union player

Vasil Kakovin is a Georgian rugby union player. His position is prop, and he currently plays for Stade Français in the Top 14. He began his career in France with CA Brive before moving to Stade Toulousain in 2012. He played for Georgia in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Cherry</span> Scotland international rugby union player

David Murray Campbell Cherry is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh Rugby and the Scotland national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thibaud Flament</span> French rugby union player

Thibaud Flament is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team.

References

  1. 1 2 Griffiths, John (31 January 2011). "Unofficial world champions, Blackrock College Lions and the world's most capped lock". Ask John. ESPNScrum.com. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  2. ↑ "Five legends inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame" (Press release). World Rugby. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "France robbed of skipper Pelous". RugbyRugby.com. 20 February 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  4. ↑ "France hand Ibanez the armband". Planet-Rugby.com. 2 July 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  5. ↑ "Ibanez to captain France at Cup". BBC Sport. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  6. ↑ "England 15–21 France". BBC Sport. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  7. ↑ "France 22–9 England". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2007.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Most-capped French player Fabien Pelous retires France 24, 23 April 2009
  9. ↑ "Toulouse regain European crown". BBC. 24 May 2003. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  10. ↑ Stade Francais 12–18 Toulouse BBC Sport, 22 May 2005
  11. ↑ "Ex-France captain Pelous to quit". BBC Sport. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  12. ↑ Rugby News Service (21 October 2007). "Habana named IRB Player of the Year". International Rugby Board. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  13. ↑ "Pelous on the verge of greatness". International Rugby Board. 23 January 2007. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.