Birth name | Sébastien Piqueronies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 14 July 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Aurillac, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sébastien Piqueronies (born in 1978) is a French rugby union player and coach. He is currently the head coach of Top 14 club Pau.
Federal coach, he became the manager of the France national under-20 rugby union team in 2018. He led the team to a double title in
Having started his career as a physical education teacher, Piqueronies gradually ascended the coaching ladder within the national age-group structure, beginning with the Under 17s and culminating with the Under 20s. Under his tutelage, the latter achieved consecutive world titles in 2018 and 2019. [1]
Piqueronies has been the manager of Section Paloise since May 1, 2021.
Sébastien Piqueronies began his rugby journey at Stade Aurillacois and later joined the ASM Clermont Auvergne's youth team, where he played alongside Aurélien Rougerie and Xavier Sadourny. [2] Unfortunately, a knee injury during his second year with the Crabos prevented him from securing a new contract with Clermont. Consequently, he joined US Issoire in the Fédérale 2 league. [3]
While pursuing his CAPES (teaching certification), he became a physical education teacher before eventually taking a leave of absence to work as a paid coach at the French Rugby Federation.
After earning his CAPES, he played for CSM Gennevilliers from 2002 to 2005 and coached the Sciences-Po rugby team. Following two seasons with FCTT rugby in Toulouse, a series of recurring injuries forced him to retire from his playing career at the age of 25.
In 2007, he became the head of the Toulouse Pôle Espoirs at Lycée Jolimont. During his five years with the U17s in Toulouse, he closely followed the development of players like Sébastien Bézy, Jean-Marc Doussain, Gillian Galan, Geoffrey Palis, Teddy Iribaren, Antoine Dupont, Florian Verhaeghe, and Romain Ntamack.
Piqueronies later became a coach at the France Pôle in Marcoussis and served as the coach of the France U17 team from 2015 to 2016. [4]
In 2017, he was promoted to manager of the France U19 team and worked alongside coaches Sébastien Calvet and Aubin Hueber. In 2018, he assumed the role of manager for the France national under-20 rugby union team, succeeding Thomas Lièvremont, and was supported by coaches Éric Dasalmartini and David Darricarrère. In June 2018 and June 2019, he led the team to the title of World Rugby Under 20 Champion. [5]
In 2020, he became the new manager of the France Jeunes program and passed on the role of U20 team manager to Philippe Boher. He then oversaw various male youth teams in the French setup.
In 2021, he concluded his tenure with the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and assumed the role of manager at Section Paloise, starting with the 2021–2022 season. His official appointment as manager took effect on May 1, 2021, with the purpose of contributing to the conclusion of the 2020–2021 season.
In his role in Béarn, he has been entrusted with the task of nurturing a team including many young and promising French players, including four 2023 World Rugby U20 Champions: Théo Attissogbé, Brent Liufau, Clément Mondinat, Hugo Auradou as well as star centre Emilien Gailleton. [6] Additionally, he has introduced experienced foreign players to the squad, such as English talents Dan Robson and Joe Simmonds, and notably, the legendary All Black, Sam Whitelock, who joins his brother Luke on the team. [7]
In 2023, Sébastien Piqueronies extends his role as the manager of Pau until 2027. [8]
Section Paloise, often referred to simply as la Section or Pau, is a professional rugby union club based in Pau, France. They are participants in the Top 14, France's premier rugby division, and also compete in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Rugby union in France is a popular team sport. Rugby union was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the Top 14. Clubs also compete in the European knock-out competition, the European Rugby Champions Cup, which replaced the Heineken Cup from 2014 to 2015.
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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.
Reece Hewat is a South African-born Australian rugby union player who plays for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. His position of choice is loose forward.
Émilien Gailleton is a French rugby union player, who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Pau and the France national team.
Sacha Zegueur is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Pau.
Hugo Auradou is a France rugby union player who plays as a lock for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 22 December 2022.
Théo Attissogbé is a France rugby union player who plays as a full back for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 25 August 2023.
Axel Desperes is a French rugby union player who plays as a Fly-half for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 28 January 2022.
Thomas Souverbie is a French rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half or fly-half for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team.
Hugo Parrou is a France rugby union player who plays as a prop for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 27 January 2024.
Geoffrey Lanne-Petit is a French rugby union player and coach. He began his rugby career at Section Paloise, later becoming the attack and transition coach for the club after retiring as a player.
Thibaut Hamonou is a French rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on October 9, 2021.
Thomas Carol is a French rugby union player who plays as a wing for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France 7's team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 9 October 2021.