Yannick Nyanga

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Yannick Nyanga
Personal information
Date of birth December 19 1983 ( 1983-12-19) (age 24)
Place of birth Kinshasa, Zaire
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Weight 94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Flanker
Clubs Caps (points)
1998-2005
2005-present		 AS Béziers
Toulouse
53
(40)
National team(s)    
2004-present France 19 (15)

Yannick Nyanga (born 19 December 1983 in Kinshasa, Zaire) is a professional rugby union footballer who plays flanker for Toulouse and France. He was a part of the victorious French team of the 2006 Six Nations Championship.

Nyanga plays at flanker in the style of a classic 'fetcher' with explosive pace from the scrum and excellent ability to support backs in later phases of play, although being relatively light for a back row forward he can be contained in rucks and mauls by larger and more physical opposite numbers.

[edit] Career

Nyanga joined AS Béziers in 1998. Nyanga received his first cap for France against the USA in France's 2004 tour of North America, making his debut in the 39 to 31 victory over the USA in Hartford. Following his first match for France, he played against Canada in Toronto, which France also won, 47 points to 13.

In 2005 he established himself firmly in France's regular lineup. After holding a reserve position in France's opening wins over Scotland and England during the 2005 Six Nations, he was called up into the starting lineup for the remainder of the tournament; playing Wales, Ireland and Italy. France lost only the one match; against eventual winners Wales.

Following the Six Nations he was included in France's touring squad for the mid-year. France left for South Africa, where they played the Springboks in a two test series; drawing the first, and losing the second. He was also capped against the Wallabies in Brisbane, which France also lost, 27 to 31. Following Béziers' relegation to Rugby Pro D2, Nyanga was signed by top club the then Heineken Cup champions Stade Toulousain for the upcoming season.

Nyanga was then capped another three times at the end of the year, in the win over Australia in Marseille, Tonga in Toulouse, as well as the 50 to six victory over Canada in Nantes, though he was partly rested, used as a reserve. He played in all of France's 2006 Six Nations the following year, which France eventually went onto win.

Toulouse finished third on the ladder for the 2005-06 Top 14, though they defeated Stade Français in the semi-finals to gain a place in the final. Toulouse lost the match to Biarritz 40 to 13. With consistent form, he was regarded by many pundits as an automatic selection for the French 2007 Rugby World Cup squad,[1] and he was indeed named to the RWC squad.

Nyanga shares the cover of the French version of the EA Sports game Rugby 08 with All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sport. telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved on 21 July 2006.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
France squad - 2007 Rugby World Cup
Forwards
Betsen • Bonnaire • Bruno • Chabal • de Villiers • Dusautoir • Harinordoquy • Ibañez (c) • Martin • Mas • Milloud • Nallet • Nyanga • Pelous • Poux • Szarzewski • Thion
Backs
Beauxis • Clerc • Dominici • Élissalde • Heymans • Jauzion • Marty • Michalak • Mignoni • Poitrenaud • Rougerie • Skrela • Traille
Coach
Persondata
NAME Yannick Nyanga
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION French Rugby union footballer.
DATE OF BIRTH 19 December 1983
PLACE OF BIRTH Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages