Birth name | Guilhem Guirado | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 17 June 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Céret, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 109 kg (17 st 2 lb; 240 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Guilhem Guirado (born 17 June 1986) is a former French rugby union player. During his 17-year career, he played for Perpignan, Toulon, and Montpellier. [2] Guirado was also the captain of France from 2016 to 2019.
Guirado first appeared on the professional scene playing for Perpignan from 2005, having joined from amateur junior side Arles-sur-Tech. In 2006, he was selected to play for the French U21 side in the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship. He played in all matches, including the grand final against South Africa at the Stade Marcel-Michelin. [3] Three years later, he helped his club side Perpignan secure a 7th Top 14 title in the 2008–09 Top 14 season, beating Clermont 22–13. He was also part of the Perpignan side that came second the following year, that time losing to Clermont 19–6. His excellent form during 2008–09 season saw him selected for the French national side for the 2008 Six Nations Championship. He earned his first cap off the bench in the closing week of the tournament against Italy on 9 March 2008. [4] On that occasion, Les Blues were victorious 25–13. It was not until his sixth cap that Guirado earned his first start. Starting as Hooker against Fiji during the 2010 rugby union internationals. He was part of the French side that were runners-up to the All Blacks in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, though he only played in one game – against Canada on 18 September.
From the 2013–14 Top 14 season, Guirado joined Toulon, who were both European and French Champions, after Perpignan failed to stay in top division. He had already become first choice Hooker at international level, having started in every test against Australia during France's Test tour of Australia in 2014. He made his first appearance for Toulon against Bayonne, with Toulon winning 29–15.
Guirado later took part in the World Cup in 2015, a tournament which was a major disappointment in France. In the quarter-final, France lost 62-13 to New Zealand.
In 2015, after Guy Novès' nomination as Head Coach, he became captain of the national team. The level of the team then gradually improved, as players managed to play in a "French Flair"- based style. Playing very well for his club (Rugby Club de Toulon), and also impressing for the national team, the Frenchman's attitude and professionalism was praised by the press. Guy Novès also showered Guirado with praise, saying he was likely to be captain of the national team until his retirement, or at least until the end of Novès' head coach's mandate.
Born in France, Guirado is of Catalan descent. [7]
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 French 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.
Nathan Hines is an Australian-born former rugby union and rugby league footballer. He played at international level for Scotland, winning 77 caps, and at club level for Edinburgh, Perpignan, and Clermont Auvergne among others. He also played rugby league.
Union Sportive Arlequins Perpignanais, also referred to as USA Perpignan or Perpignan, is a French professional rugby union club founded in 1933 and based in Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. They compete in the Top 14, France's elite division of rugby.
Gethin Jenkins is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a prop for Pontypridd, Celtic Warriors, Cardiff Blues and Toulon. At international level, he won 129 caps for Wales. On his 105th appearance in 2014, he became Wales' most-capped player, overtaking the record held by Stephen Jones; having earned his final cap in November 2016, his record was surpassed by Alun Wyn Jones in September 2019. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams. He also won five caps for the British & Irish Lions on three tours in 2005, 2009 and 2013. He is the sixth most-capped player in rugby union history and the most-capped front-row forward.
Rugby Club Toulonnais, also known as RCT but usually Toulon; Occitan: Rugbi Club Tolonenc) is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. A current participant in the first-tier Top 14 competition, they have won the national competition on four occasions.
Perry Thomas Freshwater is a retired English rugby union footballer. He is a loosehead prop and occasionally a hooker.
Matthew James Giteau is a retired Australian rugby union professional player who last played, for the now defunct, LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Aurélien Rougerie is a French former rugby union player who played on the wing and center for France and ASM Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14 for his entire 19-year career.
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer and currently the manager of Top 14 side Montpellier. He earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at centre. After retiring, Saint-André has found success as a rugby coach in both England and France. He was serving as director of rugby at Toulon before being announced as the successful candidate for head coach of France from 2011 to 2015. He formally took charge of the national team on 1 December 2011, and left his post on 17 October 2015 following a 13–62 loss to New Zealand.
Fabien Galthié is a French rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of the France national team.
Guy Novès is a former French rugby union player and most recently coach of the French national team. Born in Toulouse, Novès, who played on the wing, was capped seven times for his country, and played with Stade Toulousain from 1975 to 1987 and was a member of the team that won the Bouclier de Brennus in 1985 and 1986. He later coached the side in a tenure that lasted 22 years, when he won the French championship nine times and the Heineken Cup four times.
Mario Ledesma Arocena is an Argentine rugby union coach and a former international rugby player. He played in Argentina's successful 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign and had a professional playing career in France spanning 10 years. Since retiring he has coached at the highest level in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and was most recently the head coach of the Argentine national team.
Lifeimi Mafi is a Tongan-born, New Zealand former rugby union player.
Damien Chouly is a former French rugby union footballer. He played for Brive, Perpignan, and Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14, commonly in the Number 8 position.
Mathieu Bastareaud is a former French rugby union player. Originally a Centre, he played for RC Massy, Stade Français, and then eight seasons at the RC Toulon with whom he won three European Cups and a French Championship. In 2019, he moved to Lyon Olympique Universitaire for one season where he changed position to Number 8. In 2020, he left for the United States where he played for Rugby United New York, before returning to Lyon. In 2022 he returned to Toulon, still as a Number 8.
Maxime Mermoz is a French former professional rugby union footballer.
Yoann Maestri is a former French rugby union international footballer who played for Toulon, Toulouse, and Stade Français all in the Top 14.
Jacques Brunel is a French rugby union coach and former player. He was most recently the French national team head coach, having previously been assistant coach for his nation and had led the Italian national team between 2011 and 2016. Brunel, who has spent most of his career in France, formally coached his former team Auch, as well as Bordeaux Bègles, Colomiers, Pau and Perpignan.
Romain Taofifénua is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Lyon and the France national team.
Charles Ollivon is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Toulon and the France national team.