TOP COACHES AND SPEAKERS

The professional coaches and experts on our high-level rugby courses represent some of the most experienced and knowledgeable coaches and former players in rugby. The supervisors who accompany the professional coaches all hold state diplomas and are specialists in the field for which they are responsible during the course. For the duration of this high-level rugby course, trainees will be coached on a daily basis by experienced and trained professional coaches and educators. Some workshops will be run and/or regulated by professional rugby players (depending on their availability).

JULIEN ORY

Julien Ory-stage-rugby

Born in Le Brusc and trained in La Seyne, he began his career with Rugby Club Toulonnais in the third row. He now plays for Stade Français.

ADRIEN SÉGURET

Adrien Séguret, born in Paris on July 22, 1998, plays center for Castres Olympique, with whom he was runner-up in the French championship. Trained at SC Albi, he began his professional career with LOU rugby, before moving on to Mont de Marsan and Grenoble.
He was World Champion in 2018 with the French Under-20 team.

FRÉDÉRIC MANCA

Frédéric Manca was born on April 23, 1980 in Albi (Tarn, France), and played as a full-back or fly-half, notably with SC Albi and then Section Paloise. He also coached Section from 2014 to 2020.

SOFIANE GUITOUNE

Sofiane Guitoune, born March 27, 1989 in Algiers, is a French international winger and center with Stade Toulousain. Trained at Agen, he has played for Albi, Perpignan and UBB.
Winner of the French Championship in 2019, 2021 and 2023 with Toulouse, he has 22 caps for the French national team.

GABRIEL LACROIX

French international Gabriel Lacroix was born in Toulouse on October 19, 1993, and has played as a winger for Stade Toulusain, Auch, Albi and Stade Rochelais.

ALEXI BALÈS

Alexi Balès was born on May 30, 1990 in Fumel (Lot-et-Garonne). He played as a scrum-half. He played for SU Agen, Stade Rochelais and Stade Toulousain, with whom he was French champion in 2021.

RODRIGO CAPÓ ORTEGA

Born on December 8, 1980 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Rodrigo Capó Ortega has played as a third-row wing or second-row. He has been capped by Uruguay and was captain of Castres Olympique from 2002 to 2020. Rodrigo is a two-time French champion in 2013 and 2018. With more than 450 matches in 18 years, he is an emblematic figure for the OC, becoming an ambassador at the end of his playing career. In 2021, he becomes CO forwards coach.

LIONEL BEAUXIS

Born on October 24, 1985 in Tarbes, Lionel has played fly-half and full-back. He has played for several major French clubs, including Section paloise, Stade français, Stade toulousain, Union Bordeaux Bègles, LOU, Oyonnax Rugby and AS Béziers. He also played for the French national team between 2007 and 2012, returning for the 2018 Six Nations Tournament. He was French Champion in 2007 with Stade Français and in 2012 with Stade Toulousain, and has 24 caps for the French national team.
He now coaches the LOU Rugby Espoirs.

PHILIPPE SELLA

Born in Tonneins, a true rugby legend, Philippe is a French international who has played at center three-quarter. Fast, physical and technical, he was considered the best three-quarter center in the world for almost a decade, and was the first player in the history of world rugby to win 111 international caps, making him the 2nd most capped player in the history of French rugby. After more than 16 years with SU Agen, in 1996 he moved to England for 2 seasons with Saracens, where he won the English Cup in 1998.

CHRISTIAN CALIFANO

christian-califano-stage-rugby

Born in Toulon, Christian is a former French international rugby union player who played as a prop. He played for Stade Toulousain, the Blues (he was the first French player to play in the Super 12), SU Agen and Gloucester RFC, among others. SU Agen and Gloucester RFC. In November 2004, he was selected with the French Barbarians to play against Australia. In 2017, he was appointed Director of Development for Provence Rugby. Then, in December 2017, he was appointed forwards coach of the French Under-18 B team. Rugby consultant for Eurosport since 2014 and for TF1 in 2011 and 2015 (World Cups).

MARC DE ROUGEMONT

Born in Aubagne, he played for France, and at RC Toulon and CA Bègles Bordeaux where he played as hooker and prop forward. He was selected for France 13 times and won the Grand Slam in 1997 as well as the title of French Champion in 1993 with the RCT.

BAPTISTE SERIN

Baptiste Serin-stage-rugby

A scrum-half born in La Teste-de-Buch, he trained with the Parentis-en-Born club. After playing for Union Bègles Bordeaux for 10 years at youth and pro level, he now plays for Racing Club Toulonnais. An international player, he has 44 caps for the French national team and remains a worldwide benchmark in his position.

LOUIS CARBONEL

Born and trained in Toulon, the fly-half, twice U20 world champion, has 5 caps for the French national team.
He currently plays for Montpellier HR.

NANS DUCUING

Born in Bazus-Aure and trained at CO Saint-Lary-Soulan, he began his professional career at Perpignan, where he was a four-time international and now plays at full-back or wing for Union Bègles Bordeaux.

BENJAMIN BOYET

Born in Vienne, he played fly-half for Grand Bourgoin and Aviron Bayonnais. An international player, he won the Six Nations Tournament.

PHILIPPE GALLART

Trained in Pézenas, he was born in Béziers, where he spent his entire career as a prop. He won 18 caps for France between 1990 and 1995 and took part in four Six Nations tournaments. He went on to coach at Béziers and Agde.

TEDDY THOMAS

International winger, born in Biarritz, after 9 years with B.O, his formative club, he joined Racing 92 with whom he was French champion in 2016. Since 2022, he has played for Stade Rochelais and has 28 caps for the French national team.

CÉDRIC SOULETTE

Born and trained in Béziers, he began his career there before joining Stade Toulousain in 1999. He ended his career with Clermont in 2005. He played with the French national team from 1997 to 1999, in the prop position. French champion with Toulouse in 2001 and European Cup winner in 2003. He has 13 caps for the French national team, winning the Grand Slam in 1998 and reaching the final of the World Cup in 1999.

BENJAMIN LAPEYRE

Born in Castres, he began his career in 2007 at full-back with Castres Olympique. He then joined SC Albi, where he became the club’s goalscorer. He was instrumental in the Albigensian club’s rise to the Top 14. From 2010, he spent 2 years with RC Toulon, where he replaced Jonny Wilkinson in the goalscoring role. In June 2011, he took part in the French Barbarians tour of Argentina. Benjamin will then join a number of clubs, including Racing Metro 92, Stade Rochelais, CA Brive, AS Béziers and Castres Olympique. He is currently on the staff of the Romanian national team.

PEIO DOSPITAL

Pierre Dospital stage rugby AIRUGBY

A monument to Basque rugby and a native of Itxassou, he is one of the greatest pillars of French rugby. He spent his entire career with Aviron Bayonnais, of which he was president, and was a finalist in the 1982 French championship. He has 27 caps for the French national team and won the Tournament in 1981 (Grand Slam) and 1983.

EDDY LABARTHE

Eddy Labarthe stage rugby AIR

Trained at Boucau and Aviron Bayonnais, he is a 72-time Rugby à VII international and winner of the Plate in Hong Kong. He is the record try-scorer for Aix-en-Provence, the club for which he spent his entire XV career as a three-quarter wing.

THIERRY LOUVET

Born in Toulon, L’Indien is an RCT legend.
Third row, he was French champion in 1987, 1992 and finalist in 1989.
Converted to coach alongside Aubin Hueber from 2004 to 2006, he was Pro D2 champion in 2005.

GÉRALD MERCERON

A native of Cognac, he is a 32-time French international fly-half, having played for RC Toulon, Clermont and Stade Rochelais. Twice runner-up in the French championship, he won a European Shield with ASM and a Grand Slam with the French national team.

VINCENT CLERC

Born in Isère, he played wing for Grenoble, Stade Toulousain and RC Toulon. Top scorer in the French championship with 101 tries, he won three Brennus Shields and three European Cups. Caped 67 times by the French national team, he was runner-up in the World Championship and won three Six Nations tournaments, including two Grand Slams.

PHILIPPE BENETTON

Born in Cahors, he played third row wing for Agen. A 59-time international, he was French champion and three-time winner of the Tournament, including one Grand Slam. He has also coached at Racing Metro 92, Béziers and Perpignan.

MATHIEU BASTAREAUD

Born in Créteil and trained with RC Massy and Stade Français, he spent 8 seasons with Rugby Club Toulonnais, with whom he won three European Cups and one French Championship. He won the 2010 Six Nations Tournament and took part in the 2015 World Cup with the French national team, for which he won 47 caps. From 2019, he was repositioned as third-row center and extended his career with the LOU, ending his career with RC Toulon, where he is now Team Manager.

DELON ARMITAGE

Delon-Armitage-Toulon-stage-rugby

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Delon began playing rugby at the age of 8 in Richmond before moving to France, where he played for Racing Rugby Club de Nice and the French U16s. He then joined English club London Irish, where he stayed from 2002 to 2012, before joining Rugby Club Toulonnais until 2016. From 2016 to 2019, he will extend his career with the LOU. Delon plays at full-back or wing. He has 26 caps for England, including the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

GURTHRÖ STEENKAMP

A 53-time South African international prop, he has played for the Bulls, Stade Toulousain and Stade Français. Winner of the Currie Cup and three Super Rugby titles, he was French champion in 2012. World Champion in 2007, he is now in charge of the scrum at Stade Rochelais and a two-time Champions Cup winner.

SÉBASTIEN TILLOUS-BORDE

Sébastien Tillous-Borde-Stage-rugby-airugby

A scrum-half, the native of Oloron-Sainte-Marie began his career with Biarritz Olympique, before playing for Castres and RC Toulon, with whom he won the Top 14 in 2014 and three Champions Cups. At the end of his playing career, he became backs coach at RCT and now works as Manager at Rouen Normandie Rugby. An international, he has 19 caps for the French national team.

FRANÇOIS TRINH-DUC

Francois-Trinh-Duc-stage-rugby

Born in Montpellier, he has 66 caps for the French national team. A fly-half trained at Pic Saint-Loup, he played for MHR, with whom he was runner-up in the French championship and won the Challenge Cup. Another French championship finalist with Toulon, he went on to play for Racing and ended his career with UBB in 2022. Grand Slam winner in 2010 and World Cup finalist in 2011.

BENOIT BABY

Born in Lavelanet, he trained in Toulouse and helped win the Bouclier de Brennus. In 2007, he joined ASM Clermont Auvergne. In February 2011, he signed for Biarritz. He can play in four different positions: fly-half, wing, center and full-back. In 2020, he became head of the Biarritz Olympique training center. He is a member of the staff of the U18s and now the U20s of the French national team.

GEOFFREY PALIS

A native of Albi, where he began his career, he has played fullback or wing for Castres since 2013. A French international with 2 caps for the national team, he was champion of France in 2018.

BRIAN LIEBENBERG

Born in South Africa and naturalized in France, he played fly-half and center for Grenoble and Stade Français. A three-time French champion, he is a 13-time international player and winner of the Grand Slam in 2004.

DAVID SMITH

A New Zealander and Samoan by birth, he has played for the Blues, Hurricanes, Rugby Club Toulonnais, Castres and Narbonne. He is a two-time French champion and three-time European champion.

PATRICK FURET

Second row born in Corsica, he played for Perpignan, Castres and Section Paloise. A touch specialist, he has coached at Dax and Castres.

MARC DAL MASO

A native of the Landes region, he played hooker for Agen, Mont de Marsan, Colomiers, Pau and Perpignan. A capped international 33 times, he played in two Grand Slams and was runner-up in the 1999 World Championship. Assistant coach with Japan, Toulon and CA Brive. A native of the Landes region, he played hooker for Agen, Mont de Marsan, Colomiers, Pau and Perpignan. A capped international 33 times, he won two Grand Slams and was runner-up in the World Championship in 1999. Assistant coach with Japan, Toulon and CA Brive. He is currently scrum consultant for US Dax.

XAVIER GARBAJOSA

Born in Toulouse, he played full-back, center and wing for Stade Toulousain and Aviron Bayonnais. A three-time French champion and two-time European champion, he won two Grand Slams with the French national team, for which he played 32 times.

Runner-up in the World Championship, after his playing career he coached La Rochelle and Montpellier, as well as LOU Rugby, with whom he finished third in the championship and best forward in 2023.

SÉBASTIEN BRUNO

Born in Nîmes, where he began his rugby union career, he went on to play for the French national team as a hooker, notably for AS Béziers, Sale Sharks and RC Toulon. In 2006, he was crowned champion of England after a memorable victory over Leicester. In 2015, he became the LOU forwards coach. In 2015 he became forwards coach during the 2015 World Cup, and in 2020 he was recalled by the FFR to coach the forwards of the French Under-20 team.

AUBIN HUEBER

Scrum-half and native of Tarbais. He played for Toulon from 1991 to 2000, then coached from 2003 to 2006 alongside Thierry Louvet, and from 2008 to 2011 alongside Tana Umaga and Philippe Saint-André. French champion in 1992 and winner of the 6 Nations Tournament in 1993, he was also a semi-finalist in the 1995 World Cup. Double U20 World Champion in 2018 and 2019 as forwards coach. He has 23 caps for the French national team. In 2020 he was recalled by the FFR to coach the backs of the French U18 team. He is now manager of FC Grenoble Rugby.

Jacques Delmas

Born in Montpellier, he spent his playing career as a hooker with RC Narbonne. Now a coach, he has coached Biarritz, Grenoble, Stade Français, Perpignan and Toulon, notably in charge of the forwards. He is triple French champion and double European champion. He is now in charge of the forwards at Provence Rugby.

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