Richard Dourthe

About Richard Dourthe

Rugby is often a family affair. Richard is the son of Claude, a former French international from the 1960s and 1970s. And it is safe to say that he has not betrayed his father’s legacy in any way. Trained at US Dax, where his father spent his entire career, he played there until 1998. The team was very competitive and reached several championship semi-finals. Despite the departure of key players like Raphaël Ibañez, Olivier Magne, or Fabien Pelous, he remained loyal to the club.

The young center experienced the joys of wearing the tricolor jersey 31 times between 1995 and 2001. His greatest achievement dates back to 1999, when he was one of the main architects of the legendary French victory against New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final: four minutes after Christophe Dominici’s try that allowed the French team to take the lead over their opponent, it was indeed him who went on to score in the All-Blacks’ in-goal area, giving his team a definitive advantage. Final score: 43-31.

After ending his international career, this player with a strong kicking ability played for several clubs – Stade Français, Béziers, Bègles-Bordeaux, Castres – before landing at Aviron Bayonnais, where he became captain and then sporting director from 2008 to the 2009-2010 season.

At the club level, he notably won the League Cup (2004) and was twice a quarter-finalist in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Challenge Cup. During his international career, he scored 183 points (3 tries, 32 penalties, and 36 conversions), all in 31 caps. He won the Grand Slam in the Five Nations tournament in 1997 and was a World Cup runner-up in 1999.

Since hanging up his boots, Richard Dourthe has become a consultant for Canal+, where he comments on rugby matches and participates in specialized programs. He was also an official consultant for iTélé during the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. He also works as a “Rugby Coach” and “Development Manager.”