Xavier Garbajosa
Encyclopedia
Xavier Garbajosa is a retired French rugby player.
Garbajosa was born on 5 December 1976 in Toulouse
. He plays in the back-line as a winger, center or full-back. He spent most of his career playing for the Stade Toulousain
and moved to the Aviron Bayonnais
in the French Top 14 club competition in 2007. With Toulouse, he won the French championship in 1999 and 2001, as well as the European Cup in 2003 and 2005.. Between 2001 and 2003, he was the top-scorer in the French Top 14 for 3 consecutive years.
He was a member of France
's squad at the 1999 Rugby World Cup
(in which France were the runners-up), and notably participated in the epic semi-final against New-Zealand. He was selected in the French squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
but had to leave the team before the beginning of the competition due to an injury. He was considered one of the most talented French players of his generation (he was part of the team which won the junior world championship in 1995) but his career was disturbed by recurring knee injuries. He played for the French national team 32 times, making his debut in 1998 in a Test against Ireland, and scored 7 tries (35 points). With the French national team, he won two Grand Slams in 1998 and 2002.
Garbajosa was born on 5 December 1976 in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. He plays in the back-line as a winger, center or full-back. He spent most of his career playing for the Stade Toulousain
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...
and moved to the Aviron Bayonnais
Aviron Bayonnais
Aviron Bayonnais is a French rugby union club from Bayonne in Pyrénées-Atlantiques that currently competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14 competition...
in the French Top 14 club competition in 2007. With Toulouse, he won the French championship in 1999 and 2001, as well as the European Cup in 2003 and 2005.. Between 2001 and 2003, he was the top-scorer in the French Top 14 for 3 consecutive years.
He was a member of 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...
's squad at the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
(in which France were the runners-up), and notably participated in the epic semi-final against New-Zealand. He was selected in the French squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
but had to leave the team before the beginning of the competition due to an injury. He was considered one of the most talented French players of his generation (he was part of the team which won the junior world championship in 1995) but his career was disturbed by recurring knee injuries. He played for the French national team 32 times, making his debut in 1998 in a Test against Ireland, and scored 7 tries (35 points). With the French national team, he won two Grand Slams in 1998 and 2002.