Julien Saubade
Encyclopedia
Julien Saubade is a French rugby union
footballer, currently playing for the Paris
rugby club Racing Métro in the top level of French club rugby, the Top 14. His usual position is on the wing.
Saubade was originally playing with Biarritz Olympique
, where he had been developed, though he moved to US Dax
, playing in the Pro D2
, initially for the 2003 season, but he ended up staying there until July 2005, since he could not get the opportunity to play in Biarritz's first team. He was the second division's top scorer with 12 tries. The club did not seem to be ready to trust him despite his selections in the French U-19 and then U-21 teams (alongside Julien Arias
and Arnaud Marchois
whom he was to join in Paris).
Therefore he moved to Paris to play for Stade Français, among the élite of French rugby. At the start, the transition from the Pro D2
to the Top 14 was quite hard for him, and Saubade made several unusual mistakes for such a promising player like him, notably one which made Paris' coach, Fabien Galthié
, furious and which cost his team to lose a match in Montpellier
. As a consequence, Saubade was advised to readapt through the Stade Français' Espoirs (Juniors) team for a time, to gain experience from training with many of his new international teammates, to work physically, and then, thanks to some injuries among the starters he was given another chance to show his talent again and he seized it well to say the least.
During the Six Nations Championship
and after, he played all the matches, and scored 6 tries. Saubade also played in his club's semi-final of the 2005-06 Top 14
, which they eventually lost to Toulouse
, 12 to 9 and in Heineken Cup
matches.
He moved to the other major Paris club, Racing Métro, for the 2009–10 season
, and has remained there since.
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...
footballer, currently playing for the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
rugby club Racing Métro in the top level of French club rugby, the Top 14. His usual position is on the wing.
Saubade was originally playing with Biarritz Olympique
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...
, where he had been developed, though he moved to US Dax
US Dax
Union Sportive Dacquoise, also known as US Dax, is a French rugby union club currently playing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system....
, playing in the Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
, initially for the 2003 season, but he ended up staying there until July 2005, since he could not get the opportunity to play in Biarritz's first team. He was the second division's top scorer with 12 tries. The club did not seem to be ready to trust him despite his selections in the French U-19 and then U-21 teams (alongside Julien Arias
Julien Arias
Julien Arias is a French rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Stade Français Paris in the top level of French club rugby, the Top 14. His usual position is on the wing. Prior to playing for Stade Français Paris, he was with the US Colomiers club. He has also represented France at the...
and Arnaud Marchois
Arnaud Marchois
Arnaud Marchois is a French rugby union footballer, currently playing for Lyon OU in the top division of French rugby, the Top 14. His usual position is as a Lock. Prior to joining Lyon OU he played for Stade Français witch he won Top 14 in 2003, 2004 and 2007.-External links:*...
whom he was to join in Paris).
Therefore he moved to Paris to play for Stade Français, among the élite of French rugby. At the start, the transition from the Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
to the Top 14 was quite hard for him, and Saubade made several unusual mistakes for such a promising player like him, notably one which made Paris' coach, 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...
, furious and which cost his team to lose a match in Montpellier
Montpellier Hérault RC
Montpellier Hérault Rugby Club is a professional French rugby union, based in Montpellier the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon. The club competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14. They originally played at Stade Sabathé but moved to the Stade Yves-du-Manoir in 2007...
. As a consequence, Saubade was advised to readapt through the Stade Français' Espoirs (Juniors) team for a time, to gain experience from training with many of his new international teammates, to work physically, and then, thanks to some injuries among the starters he was given another chance to show his talent again and he seized it well to say the least.
During the Six Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and after, he played all the matches, and scored 6 tries. Saubade also played in his club's semi-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...
, which they eventually lost to 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...
, 12 to 9 and in 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,...
matches.
He moved to the other major Paris club, Racing Métro, for the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
, and has remained there since.
External links
- Julien Saubade on lequipe.frL'ÉquipeL'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...