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, 2018 and 2025, 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.
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. Position NameHead coach Sébastien CalvetBacks and attack coach Benoît BabyDefence coach Philippe BoherForwards and set piece coach Rémi Vaquin (incumbent) Samuel Cherouk (back-up)
Previous head coaches Picture Head coach Tenure Honours Philippe Sella2008–2011 2009 U20 Six Nations Championship 2011 U20 Six Nations Championship 2008 U20 Six Nations Championship Fabien Pelous2011–2015 2014 U20 Six Nations Championship – Grand Slam 2012 U20 Six Nations Championship 2015 U20 Six Nations Championship Thomas Lièvremont2015–2017 2016 U20 Six Nations Championship 2017 U20 Six Nations Championship Sébastien Piqueronies2017–2019 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship 2018 U20 Six Nations Championship 2019 U20 Six Nations Championship Philippe Boher2019–2021 2021 U20 Six Nations Championship Jean-Marc Béderède2021–2022 2022 U20 Six Nations Championship Sébastien Calvet2022– 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 U20 Six Nations Championship
Players Current squad On 23 June 2024, Calvet named a 30-player squad for the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa.
1 On 5 July, Zinédine Aouad withdrew from the squad due to injury and was replaced by Charly Gambini.
Head coach: Sébastien Calvet Caps updated: 15 March 2024
Previous squads
The following 30 players were called up for the 2023 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in South Africa. Hookers Pierre Jouvin – (Agen) Thomas Lacombre – (Toulouse) Barnabé Massa – (Grenoble) Props Zaccharie Affane – (Bordeaux Bègles) Thomas Duchêne – (Clermont) Lino Julien – (Racing 92) Alexandre Kaddouri – (La Rochelle) Louis Penverne – (La Rochelle) Locks Hugo Auradou – (Pau) Brent Liufau – (Pau) Posolo Tuilagi – (Perpignan) Loose forwards Esteban Capilla – (Bayonne) Mathis Castro-Ferreira – (Toulouse) Marko Gazzotti – (Grenoble) Oscar Jégou – (La Rochelle) Lenni Nouchi (c) – (Montpellier) Andy Timo – (Massy) Noa Zinzen – (Racing 92)Scrum-halves Léo Carbonneau – (Brive) Baptiste Jauneau – (Clermont) Fly-halves Clément Mondinat – (Pau) Hugo Reus – (La Rochelle) Centres Maxence Biasotto – (Brive) Paul Costes – (Toulouse) Nicolas Depoortère (vc) – (Bordeaux Bègles) Arthur Mathiron – (Lyon) Wings Léo Drouet – (Provence) Maël Moustin – (Bordeaux Bègles) Full-backs Théo Attisogbé – (Pau) Mathis Ferté – (Brive) (c) Denotes team captain(vc) Denotes team vice-captain
The following 28 players were called up for the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina. Hookers Rayne Barka – (Pau) Théo Lachaud – (Toulon) Props Giorgi Beria – (Clermont) Axel Burin – (Agen) Eli Eglaine – (Grenoble) Jean-Baptiste Gros – (Toulon) Paul Mallez – () Locks Killian Geraci – (Grenoble) Gauthier Maravat – (Agen) Florent Vanverberghe – (Toulon) Loose forwards Matthias Haddad – (La Rochelle) Thibaut Hamonou – (Toulouse) Mathieu Hirigoyen – (Biarritz) Loïc Hocquet – (Agen) Jordan Joseph – (Racing 92) Sacha Zegueur – (Oyonnax)Scrum-halves Léo Coly – (Mont-de-Marsan) Quentin Delord – (Lyon) Fly-halves Louis Carbonel – (Toulon) Centres Julien Delbouis – (Stade Français) Mathieu Smaïli – (Toulon) Arthur Vincent (c) – (Montpellier) Antoine Zeghdar – (Toulon) Wings Ethan Dumortier – (Lyon) Vincent Pinto – (Pau) Donovan Taofifénua – (Clermont) Full-backs Alexandre De Nardi – (Mont-de-Marsan) Matthis Lebel – (Toulouse) (c) Denotes team captain
The following 30 players were called up for the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in France. Hookers Maxime Lamothe – (Bordeaux Bègles) Guillaume Marchand – (Toulouse) Props Demba Bamba – (Brive) Giorgi Beria – (Clermont) Ugo Boniface – (Bayonne) Daniel Brennan – (Toulouse) Jean-Baptiste Gros – (Toulon) Hassane Kolingar – (Racing 92) Locks Pierre-Henri Azagoh – (Massy) Killian Geraci – (Grenoble) Thomas Lavault – (La Rochelle) Alban Roussel – (Perpignan) Loose forwards Antonin Berruyer – (Grenoble) Ibrahim Diallo – (Racing 92) Charlie Francoz – (Stade Français) Jordan Joseph – (Racing 92) Cameron Woki – (Bordeaux Bègles) Sacha Zegueur – (Oyonnax)Scrum-halves Arthur Coville (c) – (Stade Français) Jules Gimbert – (Bordeaux Bègles) Fly-halves Louis Carbonel – (Toulon) Romain Ntamack – (Toulouse) Centres Pierre-Louis Barassi – (Lyon) Adrien Séguret – (Lyon) Arthur Vincent – (Montpellier) Wings Iban Etcheverry – (Bordeaux Bègles) Maxime Marty – (Toulouse) Lucas Tauzin – (Toulouse) Full-backs Clément Laporte – (Agen) Matthis Lebel – (Toulouse) (c) Denotes team captain
Award winners The following France U20s players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2008: + World Rugby Junior Player of the Year Year Nominees Winners 2018 Jordan Joseph Jordan Joseph Romain Ntamack 2019 Louis Carbonel —
Competitive record World Rugby Under 20 Championship YearRoundPosition 20085th-8th place6th5302155102 20095th-8th place5th5401202100 20105th-8th place5th540114694 2011Semi-final4th5302117114 20125th-8th place6th530210289 20135th-8th place5th5302116101 20145th-8th place6th530210583 2015Semi-final4th5302121111 20169th-12th place9th5302160129 2017Semi-final4th5212144124 2018Champions1st550014597 2019Champions1st54011381102020–2022Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2023Champions1st550025590 2024 Total13/133 Titles654511919061344
Honours World Rugby U20 Championship Winners (3): 2018, 2019, 2023 U20 Six Nations Championship Winners (5): 2009, 2014 – Grand Slam, 2018, 2025, 2026 – Grand Slam Runners-up (9): 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 Third place (1): 2008
References