Raphael Ibanez
France
player portrait
Full name Raphael Ibanez
Born February 17, 1973, Dax
Current age 51 years 40 days
Major teams Saracens, Wasps, France, France XV
Position Hooker
Height 5 ft 11 in
Weight 224 lb

Test career
Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All Tests 1996-2007 98 75 23 40 8 0 0 0 63 34 1 64.79
Five/Six Nations 1996-2007 38 31 7 10 2 0 0 0 26 12 0 68.42
IRB Rugby World Cup 1999-2007 18 15 3 10 2 0 0 0 12 6 0 66.66

Career statistics
Test debut Wales v France at Cardiff, Mar 16, 1996 match details
Last Test France v Argentina at Parc des Princes, Oct 19, 2007 match details
Test Statsguru Main menu | Career summary | Match list | Most points | Most tries | Tournament list

English Premiership
Team Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All matches 2003-2008 63 41 22 55 11 0 0 0 37 24 2 60.31
Saracens 2003-2005 23 12 11 10 2 0 0 0 13 10 0 56.52
Wasps 2005-2008 40 29 11 45 9 0 0 0 24 14 2 62.5
Profile

Ibanez made his debut for France in 1996 and went on to rack up 98 Test caps, despite initially announcing his retirement following the 2003 World Cup. A combative, brilliant hooker, his guts and glory attitude helped to typify France's success in the early years of the Six Nations. His success in Europe's top competition was shared by a number of great French leaders, including Fabien Pelous and Fabien Galthie, but they were unable to translate their form at World Cups, losing the final in 1999 and semi-finals to England in 2003 and 2007. A club servant of Dax, Castres and Perpignan, he later moved to England with Saracens before leading Wasps to glory in the 2007 Heineken Cup final at Twickenham. He announced his immediate retirement from all rugby in 2009 following a concussion and has forged a successful media career.

Latest Articles
The anointment of Raphael Ibanez is French rugby's worst kept secret (Apr 2, 2015) What goes on tour... (Dec 11, 2009) Ibanez calls time on his career (Feb 17, 2009) Ibanez to skipper Wasps (Aug 4, 2008) Ibanez extends Wasps contract (Feb 28, 2008) Raphael Ibanez news and articles (34) »
Latest Photos
Feb 9, 2013
Bordeaux-Begles coach Rafael Ibanez
Bordeaux-Begles coach Rafael Ibanez
©  Getty Images
Oct 3, 2008
London Wasps' Raphael Ibanez and Gloucester's Mike Tindall pose with the Anglo-Welsh Cup
London Wasps' Raphael Ibanez and Gloucester's Mike Tindall pose with the Anglo-Welsh Cup
©  Getty Images
May 31, 2008
Raphael Ibanez and Phil Vickery celebrate winning the 2008 Premiership
Raphael Ibanez and Phil Vickery celebrate winning the 2008 Premiership
©  Getty Images
May 31, 2008
Wasps Raphael Ibanez celebrates after victory in the Guinness Premiership Final
Wasps Raphael Ibanez celebrates after victory in the Guinness Premiership Final
©  Getty Images
Raphael Ibanez rugby photos (17) »

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