11 memorable dates in Thierry Dusautoir's career
It’s almost impossible to distill the career of soon-to-retire rugby legend Thierry Dusautoir into just a few key moments – but James Harrington gives it a go.
Last week, Thierry Dusautoir finally revealed the inevitable. He has decided to retire from all rugby at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old Toulouse captain bows out after a 17-year top-flight career, having won three French championships with the club, another two with Biarritz, a European Cup, and three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2010.
He won 80 French caps and captained his country a record 56 times, leading them – against all the odds – to the 2011 World Cup final in New Zealand. Despite losing that match, he was named World Player of the Year.
Here are 11 key dates in the career of ‘The Dark Destroyer’.
June 10, 2006
Five years after making his top-flight debut for Bordeaux, Dusautoir lifted the Bouclier de Brennus for the first time in the very last of his 53 matches for Biarritz. Ironically, the now-faded Basque Country giants, who are ProD2 also-rans these days, beat Toulouse, the club Dusautoir was moving to and would represent for the rest of his club career.
It was not his first French championship. Biarritz lifted the title in 2005 – and, although Dusautoir was not part of the post-season Brennus-winning squad, he officially has two championship medals courtesy of his two years in the far south-west of France.
June 17, 2006
A week after winning the French championship, Dusautoir scored a try on his international debut as Les Bleus beat Romania 62–14 at the Cotroceni Stadium in Bucharest. He would also play in France’s second and final summer match that year, a victory over South Africa in Cape Town.
October 6, 2007
New Zealanders will remember this date well. The World Cup quarterfinal between France and the All Blacks at the Millennium Stadium is one of those fixed points in rugby space and time. From the moment the French fronted up to the Haka, this was Dusautoir’s match. In front of a crowd of nearly 72,000, he scored the Les Bleus’ first try as they roared back from behind in the second half to stun the perennial pre-tournament favourites – and his personal tally of 38 tackles was a remarkable fraction of the 200 or so the French made in that game. No wonder it won him a World Player of the Year nomination. Lost in the mists of history is the fact that he was not part of France’s 30-man squad for the tournament. He was called up as a replacement for the injured Elvis Vermeulen.
June 28, 2008
Two seasons after joining the most successful club in French rugby history, Dusautoir was the part of the team that won the French championship – his third. He and Toulouse would repeat the trick again in 2011 and 2012, when he captained the club from the Rose City and would have the honour of being the first to lift the heavy shield awarded to the champions of France.
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June 13, 2009
Victories over the All Blacks are to be savoured – victories over the All Blacks in New Zealand, doubly so. This was the date Dusautoir led France to a 27-22 win in Dunedin. It was also the first time he was named captain of the national side.
May 22, 2010
2010 was an impressive year for the player adoring Toulouse fans have lovingly nicknamed ‘Titi’. On March 20, he captained France to their first Six Nations Grand Slam since 2004. Two months later, he led his club to their fourth and most recent European Cup title. Fate, in its twisted manner, would have its way – Toulouse edged Dusautoir’s former club Biarritz 21-19 to lift the Heineken Cup.
October 23, 2011
New Zealand versus France in that World Cup final at Eden Park. France had been in disarray throughout the tournament, losing to Tonga and New Zealand in the group phase. But, by hook, crook, and probably Dusautoir’s iron will, they reached the final. He scored the French try – his last for his country – and made 22 tackles in an epic personal performance. But, he alone could not beat New Zealand. It is probably scant consolation, but Dusautoir later became only the second Frenchman to be named World Player of the Year.
June 24, 2014
Another bittersweet memory. The flanker overtook Fabien Pelous as France’s longest-serving captain, when he led Les Bleus out for the 43rd time in Sydney, Australia, for the final Test of France’s 2014 summer tour. The match ended in a 39-19 defeat for the tourists. Dustautoir would captain his country 13 more times.
October 17, 2015
The last time Dusautoir would lead his country was also the last time he graced an international rugby field. It is unfortunate that he would mark his 80th cap and his 56th outing as captain with a humiliation, as France lost their World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand 62-13. Even he would not escape the recriminations that followed. Less than two months later, he announced his retirement from international rugby.
April 19, 2017
Dusautoir announced he would retire from all rugby at the end of the current Top 14 season.
May 6, 2017
Barring injury or the cruellest selection decision from coach Ugo Mola, May 6 will be the last time the rugby world will see Thierry Dusautoir in a Toulouse shirt. Sadly, and in much the same way as his international career ended in an undeserved failure, the twilight of the French rugby legend’s domestic career has coincided with the fading of Toulouse’s star. His season – and career – will end with a dead rubber match against Bayonne at Stade Ernest Wallon. Which is a shame. But, though he will not get to sign off, as great rival Richie McCaw, Brian O’Driscoll and Jonny Wilkinson all did, with one more trophy in his collection, you can bet that the Toulouse fans will give him the rousing send-off he truly deserves.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments