Thierry Dusautoir
Encyclopedia
Thierry Dusautoir is a French
rugby union
player who currently plays for France
at international level and Toulouse
in the French Top 14 club competition. Dusautoir is a strong ball carrier with good speed and strength to get out of tackles.
Dusautoir was born in Abidjan
, Côte d'Ivoire
. He has a French father and Ivorian mother, like another French rugby player, Pépito Elhorga
. He did not pick up a rugby ball before the age of 16, with judo his previous sport. He is a graduate chemical engineer.
He first played for Bordeaux-Bègles
before moving to US Colomiers
for one season, and then signed with Biarritz
. He played in the final of the 2005-06 Heineken Cup
at Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff
, which Biarritz lost to Irish team Munster
23–19. Despite losing the Heineken Cup
, Biarritz did manage to win the final of the 2005-06 Top 14
40–13 against Toulouse.
and the Springboks
.
He made his debut for France in a test against Romania on 17 June 2006 at Cotroceni Stadium
in Bucharest
, Romania
, whih saw France defeat the Romanians 62–14 and Dusautoir scoring a try
on his debut. He played in the subsequent match against the Springboks at Newlands Stadium
in Cape Town
with France again emerging as the victors. He left Biarritz and signed for Toulouse in 2006.
He is perhaps most famous for his try against New Zealand
in the quarter final of the 2007 World Cup
in Cardiff in which he famously made 38 tackles, two more than the entire All Blacks side; he was nominated for world player of the year solely on this performance. His second-half score helped France to a 20–18 victory over the tournament favourites, despite the fact that he was not in the original 30-man squad and was only called up as a replacement for the injured Elvis Vermeulen
. He also captained France to a famous 27–22 win over New Zealand in Dunedin
on 13 June 2009. He has been linked with Leinster Rugby
where he would replace Rocky Elsom
.
of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
, in which he scored the only try against New Zealand in the 47th minute and made 22 tackles, for which he received the man of the match award. web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/france/8844584/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Thierry-Dusautoir-leads-one-of-the-greatest-losing-performances-in-defeat-to-New-Zealand.html|title=Thierry Dusautoir leads one of the greatest losing performances in defeat to New Zealand|date=24 October 2011|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=24 October 2011}}
He was named the 2011 IRB International Player of the Year
, thus becoming the second player from France to win the award after former captain Fabien Galthié
in 2002.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who currently plays for France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
at international level and Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
in the French Top 14 club competition. Dusautoir is a strong ball carrier with good speed and strength to get out of tackles.
Dusautoir was born in Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
. He has a French father and Ivorian mother, like another French rugby player, Pépito Elhorga
Pepito Elhorga
Pépito Elhorga is a French rugby player.He currently plays for Aviron Bayonnais in the Top 14 club competition, and previously played for Biarritz Olympique and SU Agen. He was a member of France's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad. He has 18 caps and has scored 3 tries for France.-External links:* *...
. He did not pick up a rugby ball before the age of 16, with judo his previous sport. He is a graduate chemical engineer.
He first played for Bordeaux-Bègles
CA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde
Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde are a French multisports club, established in 1907, based in Bègles, in the southern suburbs of Bordeaux. Their rugby union section, Union Bordeaux Bègles is their flagship...
before moving to US Colomiers
US Colomiers
US Colomiers is a French rugby union club currently competing in Fédérale 1, the third level of the French rugby pyramid. They had been relegated from Pro D2 after finishing last in the 2006-07 season, but earned promotion from Fédérale 1 at the first opportunity in 2007-08, and survived a...
for one season, and then signed with Biarritz
Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
. He played in the final of the 2005-06 Heineken Cup
2005-06 Heineken Cup
The 2005–06 Heineken Cup was the eleventh edition of the European Heineken Cup rugby union club tournament. 24 teams from 7 different countries took part, with the opening game played on Friday October 21, 2005...
at Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, which Biarritz lost to Irish team Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
23–19. Despite losing the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
, Biarritz did manage to win the final of the 2005-06 Top 14
2005-06 Top 14
The 2005-06 Top 14 was a French domestic rugby union club competition that ran from August 2005 to June 2006.The 2005-06 season saw attendance records broken. 79,502 spectators attended the Round 9 clash between Stade Français and Stade Toulousain at the Stade de France, shattering the attendance...
40–13 against Toulouse.
International career
Dusautoir was called up into the French squad for tests during June 2006 against RomaniaRomania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
and the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
.
He made his debut for France in a test against Romania on 17 June 2006 at Cotroceni Stadium
Cotroceni Stadium
Cotroceni Stadium is a football-only stadium in Bucharest, Romania. The stadium holds 14,542 people.At this stadium performedEnrique Iglesias, RBD...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, whih saw France defeat the Romanians 62–14 and Dusautoir scoring a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
on his debut. He played in the subsequent match against the Springboks at Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium, currently referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all seater venue....
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
with France again emerging as the victors. He left Biarritz and signed for Toulouse in 2006.
He is perhaps most famous for his try against New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in the quarter final of the 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
in Cardiff in which he famously made 38 tackles, two more than the entire All Blacks side; he was nominated for world player of the year solely on this performance. His second-half score helped France to a 20–18 victory over the tournament favourites, despite the fact that he was not in the original 30-man squad and was only called up as a replacement for the injured Elvis Vermeulen
Elvis Vermeulen
Elvis Vermeulen is a French rugby union footballer, currently playing for ASM Clermont Auvergne in the top level of French rugby, the Top 14 competition. He was previously with the CA Brive club. He has also played for the French national team, earning his first cap on 16 June 2001 against South...
. He also captained France to a famous 27–22 win over New Zealand in Dunedin
Carisbrook
Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket, football, rugby league and motocross. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker concert and frequently hosted pre-game...
on 13 June 2009. He has been linked with Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
where he would replace Rocky Elsom
Rocky Elsom
Rocky Elsom is a former captain of the Australia national rugby union team. Raised in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Elsom is one of Australia's most decorated Rugby players. Elsom has played over 50 times for Australia and has over 80 Super rugby caps with the Waratahs 2003–08 and the...
.
2011 Rugby World Cup
Dusautoir also captained the French squad through to the final match2011 Rugby World Cup Final
The 2011 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match between France and New Zealand, the final match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It was played on Sunday, 23 October 2011 at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, and was won 8–7 by New Zealand, who thus won the World Cup.The New Zealand All Blacks...
of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
, in which he scored the only try against New Zealand in the 47th minute and made 22 tackles, for which he received the man of the match award. web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/france/8844584/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Thierry-Dusautoir-leads-one-of-the-greatest-losing-performances-in-defeat-to-New-Zealand.html|title=Thierry Dusautoir leads one of the greatest losing performances in defeat to New Zealand|date=24 October 2011|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=24 October 2011}}
He was named the 2011 IRB International Player of the Year
IRB International Player of the Year
IRB Player of the Year is an accolade awarded annually by the International Rugby Board. It is awarded to the player who is adjudged to have been the best performer in rugby union internationals in the preceding season IRB Player of the Year is an accolade awarded annually by the International...
, thus becoming the second player from France to win the award after former captain Fabien Galthié
Fabien Galthié
Fabien Galthié is a French rugby union coach and former player. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played much of his club rugby for Colomiers, and later on in his career, Stade Français. Galthié won 64 caps for France, including four Rugby World Cup appearances, as well as captaining the...
in 2002.