Christophe LAMAISON

Biog of Christophe LAMAISON :

The New Zealanders will certainly not forget Christophe Lamaison in a hurry. In the space of a year and two French victories (separated by a defeat), Christophe, or “Titou” Lamaison as he was known, scored 55 points against the All Blacks. One of these victories was the legendary 1999 World Cup semi-final on 31 October at Twickenham (43-31). The match was the pinnacle for an entire generation of French players and the coaching partnership of Skrela and Villepreux, and you could say for Lamaison as well. He scored 28 points that day, including the first French try (of four) and two drop goals, as well as setting up Richard Dourthe’s try with a little chip over the defence into the All Black’s dead-ball area. Lamaison was second choice fly-half at the start of the competition, but he took over from the injured Thomas Castaignede without fuss, making the position his own by scoring 22 points in the quarter-final against Argentina, 28 points in the semi-final against New Zealand as mentioned above, and all of the 12 French points scored in the final against Australia (35-12 defeat). In the first French international played at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille a year later, Lamaison was also the artist behind another memorable success against the All Blacks (42-33, kicking 27 points including two drop goals).

Three years before, on 15 March 1997, Lamaison had already been the hero of another incredible match. At Twickenham - a happy hunting ground for “Titou” if ever there was one - France came back to beat England 20-23 having trailed 20-3 earlier in the game. Lamaison scored 18 points, including one try and one drop-goal, and les Bleus went on to win the Grand Slam that year. Christophe Lamaison played at fly-half or centre for France in campaigns that marked a whole generation, such as the 1997 and 1998 Grand Slams and the final of the 1999 World Cup. And although he may not always have been France’s number one kicker, he is their leading points scorer with 380 points in 37 appearances between 1996 and 2001.

Lamaison also tasted success at club level. A product of Peyrehorade rugby club in the Landes region, he then played for Aviron Bayonnais before moving to Brive where he spent his most successful years, winning the European Cup in 1997 (against Leicester) and reaching the final a year later (this time losing to Bath). François Duboisset shared these times. “Titou is one of the most talented lads I have ever played with,” he recounts. “He was amazing. He could play at fly-half, centre or fullback just as capably, he could kick off both feet… I was so impressed by the match against the All Blacks during the 1999 World Cup that I remember looking up to Lamaison almost as a fan would.”

In 1999-2000 the adventure at Brive came to an end. Lamaison left for Agen where he reached another summit, the final of the French Championship - the only one of his career - against Biarritz in 2002 ending in defeat for Agen after extra time. After returning to Bayonne in 2004, Lamaison put an end to his professional career. He played for Saint-Médard-en-Jalles for a while in the Fédérale 3 championship before becoming their coach. Lamaison ended all rugby related activities definitively in 2008. Today he manages a renewable energy company in partnership with Nicolas Martin, another former Agen and Bayonne player.