Lenni Nouchi (born 24 November 2003) is a French professional rugby union player, who plays as a loose forward or lock for Top 14 side Montpellier. He captained the France national under-20 team that won the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2023.

Lenni Nouchi
Date of birth (2003-11-24) 24 November 2003 (age 20)
Height1.92 m (6 ft 3+12 in)
Weight107 kg (16 st 12 lb; 236 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number Eight, Lock
Current team Montpellier
Youth career
2009–2011 Béziers
2011–2014 Servian-Boujan
2014–2021 Béziers
2021–2022 Montpellier
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022– Montpellier 21 (5)
Correct as of 27 January 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023 France U20 10 (25)
2024– France 2 (0)
Correct as of 13 July 2024

Early life

edit

Lenni Nouchi was born on (2003-11-24)24 November 2003[1] and is the son of French former professional rugby union player Samuel Nouchi, who won the French Championship (then Top 16) for Biarritz in 2002.[2] Growing up in Hérault, he started playing rugby with the Béziers youth system in 2009 and then joined the Servian-Boujan amateur club in 2011. Three years later, he returned to Béziers and then joined the Montpellier academy in 2021.[1]

Club career

edit

Nouchi made his professional debut with his club in an away match at Castres on 8 October 2022, coming off the bench and playing around 15 minutes.[3] On 2 April 2023, he made his Champions Cup debut against Exeter Chiefs in the competition knockout stage and scored a try in the 76th minute.[4]

International career

edit

Having made his debut for France U20 on 3 February 2023 in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship match against Italy,[4] he was named in the France U20 squad for the World Rugby Under 20 Championship a few months after.[5] Captaining the team and being the starting blindside flanker, he led France to victory and scored a try against Ireland in the final.[4][6]

In January 2024, he was first called to the France senior team for the Six Nations Championship.[7]

Honours

edit
France U20

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Lenni NOUCHI". MHR (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  2. ^ Barraud, Justine (12 April 2023). "Rugby : Lenni Nouchi, international U20 du MHR, espoir du Top 14". ViàOccitanie (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  3. ^ Seidenbinder, Paul (8 October 2022). "Castres-MHR : "On a frôlé la correctionnelle", les réactions d'après-match". Midi Libre (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Lenni NOUCHI: profile and stats". All.Rugby. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  5. ^ Muzeau, Sylvain (1 June 2023). "Le groupe de France moins 20 ans pour le Championnat du monde". FFR (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. ^ "France take on Ireland for U20 Championship glory". World Rugby. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Liste des 6 joueurs convoqués pour l'Irlande et forfait de Melvyn Jaminet". FFR (in French). 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
edit