Imanol Harinordoquy

Imanol Harinordoquy (born 20 February 1980 in Bayonne) is a French rugby union player who typically plays as a number 8 for France internationally and Biarritz at club level. Before signing with Biarritz for the 2004-05 season, he played club rugby at Pau. Despite his relative youth, he is generally regarded as one of the top number eights in international rugby union today.

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The 1.92 m (6'3?") Basque made his international debut just before his 22nd birthday in the 2002 Six Nations against Wales, and helped France win the Grand Slam that year. He has been a fixture in the French side ever since, helping them to a second Six Nations Grand Slam in 2004.

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Harinordoquy entered the 2005 Six Nations with 30 caps for France. However, he missed the competition's first fixture against Scotland due to a separated shoulder suffered in his last game for Biarritz before the Six Nations, and had difficulty regaining his form immediately after the injury; he was dropped from the squad by the end of the 2005 tournament.

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Harinordoquy grew up in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Basque: Donibane Garazi). He grew up playing many sports, among them pelota, swimming, football and judo, only concentrating on rugby after a knee injury at age 14 limited his football development. He advanced quickly in rugby union, representing France at under-19 and under-21 levels. He was also brought up in the family's cattle-trading business; when it came time for him to choose between the business and rugby, he opted to only sign a one-year contract with Pau. He continues to sign one-year rugby deals.

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He is also notorious for his comments about the English national team before a key 2003 Six Nations encounter: http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/11/1068329561920.html?oneclick=true

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:As far as the English are concerned, I have decided to adopt the same attitude as them: I despise them as much as they despise everybody else. And as long as we beat England, I wouldn't mind if we lost every other game in the Six Nations.

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England went on to win that match and the Grand Slam.

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20 February: REDIRECT February 20...

1980: 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday....

Bayonne: Bayonne (Basque: Baiona; Spanish: Bayona) is a city and commune of southwest France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyr?n?es-Atlantiques d?partement, of which it is a sous-pr?fecture....