Christophe Lamaison

Christophe Lamaison
Full name Christophe Lamaison
Date of birth 8 April 1971
Place of birth Dax, Landes, France
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Centre, Fly-half
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
198?-1989
1990-1996
2004-2006		 Peyrehorade
Aviron Bayonnais
Saint-Médard-en-Jalles
correct as of 5 March 2007.
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1996-2000
2000-2002
2002-2004		 CA Brive
SU Agen
Aviron Bayonnais
correct as of 5 March 2007.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1996-2001 France 37 (380)
correct as of 5 March 2007.

Christophe Lamaison (born 8 April 1971 in Dax, Landes, France) is a former French rugby union footballer who represented France at international level, and Brive, Agen and Aviron Bayonnais at professional club level. He won 37 caps and is the current all-time leading points scorer for France, with 380 points. Lamaison played most of his rugby as a centre, and possessed reliable distribution and kicking skills, which made up for his only real weakness, a lack of pace. He could also play at fly-half. He made his international debut against South Africa on 30 November 1996 in Paris, and rose to prominence as a key member of France's Grand slam-winning sides of 1997 and 1998. His goalkicking ability also helped Brive reach the Heineken Cup final in 1998 and 1999.

Lamaison's finest hour came at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in the semifinal against New Zealand at Twickenham. Selected at fly-half for the match, Lamaison scored a full house of points and set up several tries. He scored the first try of the game, but New Zealand hit back, with Jonah Lomu scoring two tries, to lead 24-10 in the second half. Then Lamaison kicked two drop goals and two penalties, bringing the score back to 24-22. In 13 minutes of rugby, the French scored 26 unanswered points and won 43-31 in one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history.

In 2000, Lamaison almost repeated his semifinal performance against New Zealand, scoring 27 points in a 42-33 victory. In 2004, he stopped his professional rugby union career despite lucrative offers from the English side Saracens and played for Saint-Médard-en-Jalles in the Fédérale 2. He retired from all rugby in 2006.

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