Cédric HEYMANS

Biog of Cédric HEYMANS :

Cédric Heymans’ career got off to an early start when, at 18 years old, he participated in the European campaign that ended in the continental title for Brive (1997). He was still young (21) when he first donned the French shirt in the 2000 Six Nations tournament while playing for Agen. A year later he became a groundbreaker when he bought out the remaining year of his contract with SUA to join Stade Toulousain.

At Toulouse Heymans broke through for good, his appearances in the starting line-up rising from 15 at first to 20 or more. And there, playing in a system that perfectly suited his agility, speed and flair, he quickly became one of the best wingers in France - or at least one of the most spectacular. The number of caps he earned despite the strong competition from his Toulouse teammates Vincent Clerc and Xavier Garbajosa, Aurélien Rougerie from Clermont and the Toulon-Parisian Christophe Dominici, rose progressively until 2004. For the next six years Heymans was a permanent member of Bernard Laporte, and then later Marc Lièvremont’s, squad, rotating with the four players mentioned above. Both coaches played Heymans at full back from time to time.

Heymans, a record-holding four-time European Champion (two final victories with Toulouse in 2005 and 2010, and two successful campaigns without playing in the final with Brive in 1997 and Toulouse in 2003, plus two defeats in the final in 2004 and 2008), French Champion with Stade Toulousain in 2008 and 2011 (finalist in 2003 and 2006), played in one round of the 2004 Grand Slam winning campaign and was the undisputed starting winger in the 2007 World Cup (up until the semi-final). He has scored 16 tries for les Bleus (remember the tight-rope walk of a try in the second test against New Zealand in June 2009?) and has set up many more: his one-twos with teammate Vincent Clerc that led to Clerc’s hat-trick against Ireland in 2008 stay in the memory. With Toulouse, Heymans has scored 65 tries in the French Championship and 16 in the European Cup.

Marc Lièvremont had not selected Cédric Heymans since November 2009 and the traumatic defeat at the hands of the All Blacks in Marseille during which Heymans was replaced. His impressive performances for his club in the second half of the 2010-2011 season brought Heymans back onto the coach’s radar, who duly included him in the World Cup squad for New Zealand.

On 4 June on the occasion of the Top 14 final victory over Montpellier at the Stade de France, Heymans played in his 260th, and last, match for Toulouse. Heymans will be wearing the colours of Aviron Bayonnais next season.