France
UnionFrench Rugby Federation
Nickname(s)Les Bleuets (The Little Blues)
Coach(es)Sébastien Calvet
Captain(s)Lenni Nouchi
Most capsKilian Geraci (18)
Jordan Joseph (18)
Top scorerLouis Carbonel (169)
Most triesJordan Joseph (12)
First international
France France 12–6 Scotland Scotland
(1 February 2008)
Largest win
France France 75–12 Japan Japan
(24 June 2023)
Largest defeat
New Zealand New Zealand 45–7 France France
(15 June 2015)
World Cup
Appearances13 (first in 2008)
Best resultGold Champions (3): 2018, 2019 and 2023

The France national under-20 rugby union team (French: Équipe de France de rugby à XV des moins de 20 ans), also known as France under-20s or France U20(s), is the national under-20 rugby union team of France, under the control of the French Rugby Federation. Competing in the annual Six Nations Under 20s Championship, it is considered to be the feeder team for the France national team.

Replacing the two former age grade teams Under 19s and Under 21s, their first tournament was the 2008 Six Nations U20 Championship, where they finished at the third place. Winning the competition in 2009, 2014 – year in which they win the Grand Slam – and 2018,[1] they also have participated in the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship (later renamed the World Rugby U20 Championship) and all subsequent editions, winning it on three occasions, three times in a row, in 2018, 2019 and 2023.[2]

Nicknamed "Les Bleuets" (French for "The Little Blues"; diminutive from "bleu": blue), they are used to play in medium-sized stadiums all around France. Sébastien Calvet is the current head coach of the team, after having been appointed in 2022.

Coaching history

Current staff

The following members were part of the France U20 coaching staff for the 2022–23 season. Sébastien Calvet replaced Jean-Marc Béderède as head coach in July 2022.[3]

Position Name
Head coachFrance Sébastien Calvet
Backs and attack coachFrance Benoît Baby
Defence coachFrance Philippe Boher
Forwards and set piece coachFrance Rémi Vaquin (incumbent)
France Samuel Cherouk (back-up)

Previous head coaches

Picture Head coach Tenure Honours
France Philippe Sella 2008–2011 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2009 U20 Six Nations Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2011 U20 Six Nations Championship
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2008 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Fabien Pelous 2011–2015 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2014 U20 Six Nations Championship Grand Slam
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2012 U20 Six Nations Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2015 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Thomas Lièvremont 2015–2017 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2016 U20 Six Nations Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2017 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Sébastien Piqueronies 2017–2019 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship
1st place, gold medalist(s) 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship
1st place, gold medalist(s) 2018 U20 Six Nations Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2019 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Philippe Boher 2019–2021 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2021 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Jean-Marc Béderède 2021–2022 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2022 U20 Six Nations Championship
France Sébastien Calvet 2022– 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2023 U20 Six Nations Championship

Players

Current squad

On 1 June 2023, Calvet named a 30-player squad for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship.[4]

1 On 9 June, Léon Darricarrère withdrew from the squad due to injury and was replaced by Maxence Biasotto.[4]

Head coach: France Sébastien Calvet

  • Caps updated: 14 July 2023
Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Pierre Jouvin Hooker (2003-12-03) 3 December 2003 6 France Agen
Thomas Lacombre Hooker (2004-07-14) 14 July 2004 9 France Toulouse
Barnabé Massa Hooker (2004-05-13) 13 May 2004 4 France Grenoble
Zaccharie Affane Prop (2004-07-15) 15 July 2004 9 France Bordeaux Bègles
Thomas Duchêne Prop (2004-08-25) 25 August 2004 5 France Clermont
Lino Julien Prop (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 6 France Racing 92
Alexandre Kaddouri Prop (2003-12-12) 12 December 2003 3 France La Rochelle
Louis Penverne Prop (2003-03-22) 22 March 2003 8 France La Rochelle
Hugo Auradou Lock (2003-07-20) 20 July 2003 9 France Pau
Brent Liufau Lock (2004-03-21) 21 March 2004 12 France Pau
Posolo Tuilagi Lock (2004-07-28) 28 July 2004 6 France Perpignan
Esteban Capilla Back row (2003-01-05) 5 January 2003 7 France Bayonne
Mathis Castro-Ferreira Back row (2004-01-13) 13 January 2004 9 France Toulouse
Marko Gazzotti Back row (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 8 France Grenoble
Oscar Jégou Back row (2003-05-31) 31 May 2003 8 France La Rochelle
Lenni Nouchi (c) Back row (2003-11-24) 24 November 2003 10 France Montpellier
Andy Timo Back row (2004-05-28) 28 May 2004 4 France Massy
Noa Zinzen Back row (2004-02-24) 24 February 2004 2 France Racing 92
Léo Carbonneau Scrum-half (2004-10-07) 7 October 2004 9 France Brive
Baptiste Jauneau Scrum-half (2003-11-17) 17 November 2003 16 France Clermont
Clément Mondinat Fly-half (2003-10-29) 29 October 2003 4 France Pau
Hugo Reus Fly-half (2004-02-21) 21 February 2004 8 France La Rochelle
Maxence Biasotto1 Centre (2004-07-08) 8 July 2004 1 France Brive
Paul Costes Centre (2003-04-04) 4 April 2003 8 France Toulouse
Léon Darricarrère1 Centre (2004-06-04) 4 June 2004 1 France Clermont
Nicolas Depoortère (vc) Centre (2003-01-13) 13 January 2003 13 France Bordeaux Bègles
Arthur Mathiron Centre (2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 6 France Lyon
Léo Drouet Wing (2003-08-01) 1 August 2003 7 France Provence
Maël Moustin Wing (2003-04-22) 22 April 2003 3 France Bordeaux Bègles
Mathis Ferté Fullback (2004-02-02) 2 February 2004 8 France Brive
Théo Attisogbé Fullback (2004-11-19) 19 November 2004 7 France Pau

Previous squads

The following 28 players were called up for the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina.[5]

(c) Denotes team captain

The following 30 players were called up for the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in France.[6]

(c) Denotes team captain

Competitive record

World Rugby Under 20 Championship

Year Round Position Pld W D L PF PA
Wales 20085th-8th place6th5302155102
Japan 20095th-8th place5th5401202100
Argentina 20105th-8th place5th540114694
Italy 2011Semi-final4th5302117114
South Africa 20125th-8th place6th530210289
France 20135th-8th place5th5302116101
New Zealand 20145th-8th place6th530210583
Italy 2015Semi-final4th5302121111
England 20169th-12th place9th5302160129
Georgia (country) 2017Semi-final4th5212144124
France 2018Champions1st550014597
Argentina 2019Champions1st5401138110
2020–2022Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
South Africa 2023Champions1st550025590
South Africa 2024
Total13/133 Titles654511919061344

Honours

References

  1. "Les Bleuets remportent le Tournoi" [The Bleuets won the Championship]. Rugbyrama (in French). 18 March 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  2. Burgaud, Florian (14 July 2023). "XV de France U20 - Les Bleuets sur le toit du monde, la France sacrée pour la troisième fois de suite" [France U20 - The Bleuets on top of the world, France crowned three times in a row]. Rugbyrama (in French). Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  3. "Jean-Marc Béderède : « Amener le maximum de joueurs vers le XV de France »" [Jean-Marc Béderède: "Drive as many players as possible to the XV de France] (in French). FFR. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Le groupe de France moins 20 ans pour le Championnat du monde" [France U20 squad for the World Cup] (in French). FFR. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  5. "France moins 20 ans : Le groupe pour le Championnat du monde" [France U20: The squad for the World Cup] (in French). FFR. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  6. "Champion du monde -20 : Une question de confiance !" [U20 World Champion: a matter of trust!] (in French). FFR. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
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