Audrey Forlani

Audrey Forlani (born 19 November 1991)^[2] is a French rugby union player who has made at least 47 appearances for the France women's national rugby union team. At club level, she plays for French women's Premier Division club Blagnac [fr].

Audrey Forlani

Audrey Forlani in 2022
Date of birth	(1991-11-19) 19 November 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Weight	82 kg (181 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Second row Current team Blagnac [fr] Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2007– Blagnac [fr] ? (?) Correct as of 27 February 2021 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2009–2011 France U-20 ? (?) 2011– France 47+ (?) Correct as of 27 February 2021

Club career

Forlani plays as a second row (lock).^[2] She started playing rugby at the age of six, and was the only girl in the boys' team.^[3] In 2007, she joined Saint-Orens rugby club (now known as Blagnac [fr]), in Midi-Pyrénées.^[3] In her first season, Saint-Orens won the French women's Premier Division.^[4] In 2014, Forlani suffered a broken nose. She thought it was a routine injury but after it was fixed she developed headaches. Further damage was discovered and she had to have her hair shaved so that the doctors could repair a crack. Doctors questioned whether she would ever be able to play rugby again.^[5] The next year, she returned to French women's Premier Division rugby.^[5]

International career

Between 2009 and 2011, Forlani played for the France under-20 team, including at the 2011 Under-20s Six Nations Championship.^[4] In 2011, she was called up to the France senior team.^[4] She was included in the French training squad ahead of the 2012 Women's Six Nations Championship,^[6] and was included in the squad for the tournament.^[7]

As a result of her broken nose, Forlani missed the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.^[5] She was recalled to the French team for the last three matches of the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship.^[5] She scored a try which put her team into the lead in the final match of the 2016 Women's Six Nations Championship. France went on to beat England to win the tournament.^[8] She was included in the French squad for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup,^[9] and played in all the group stages matches as France reached the semi-finals of the competition.^[10] In January 2019, Forlani was one of 24 players to sign a part-time federal contract with the French Rugby Federation (FFR);^[11] her contract with the FFR was later extended for the 2019/20 season.^[12] Forlani was not included in the French training squad for the 2020 Autumn Internationals,^[13] or the delayed 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.^[14] As of 2020, Forlani had made 47 appearances for France.^[15] Forlani has also played for the French rugby sevens team.^[4]

Forlani was selected for the 2022 Women's Six Nations Championship, and started their match against Italy.^[16]

Personal life

Forlani is from Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France.^[7] She studied sports sciences at the Lycée Jolimont [fr].^[3] Aside from rugby, Forlani works full-time in a farm shop in Tarn-et-Garonne,^[17] over an hour away from Blagnac rugby club. She is compensated by the FFR for loss of income at the shop when playing or in squad training with the French rugby team.^[10]

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References

1. "Audrey Forlani". Ultimate Rugby. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
2. "Forlani, Audrey" (in French). French Rugby Federation. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
3. "AUDREY FORLANI INTERNATIONALE DE RUGBY FÉMININ HONORÉE". Le Petit Journal (in French). 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
4. "Beaumont-de-Lomagne. Audrey Forlani en équipe de France". La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 11 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
5. "Audrey Forlani (XV de France) : la revanche d'une blonde". Le Progrès (in French). 7 February 2016. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
6. "Les féminines en stage". Rugbyrama (in French). 20 December 2011. Archived from the original on 19 June 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
7. "Beaumont-de-Lomagne. Audrey Forlani en équipe de France". La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 8 March 2012. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
8. "Women's Six Nations: England lose Six Nations decider to France". Sky Sports. 19 March 2016. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
9. "France féminines : Le groupe pour la Coupe du monde". French Rugby Federation (in French). 12 June 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
10. "Audrey Forlani, joueuse française et salariée d'une coopérative agricole". Terre-Net (in French). 18 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
11. "24 joueuses de l'équipe de France sous contrat fédéral à mi-temps". L'Équipe (in French). 16 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
12. "26 Affamées !". French Rugby Federation (in French). 8 August 2019. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
13. "Bleues : un groupe de 41 joueuses avec Romane Menager". L'Équipe (in French). 17 September 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
14. "Les Bleues dévoilent un groupe de 32 joueuses pour le stage de préparation au Tournoi". Rugbyrama (in French). 5 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
15. "XV de France Féminin. 5 changements dans le groupe pour le pays de Galles, Romane Ménager absente". actu.fr (in French). 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
16. "FRANCE NAME NEW-LOOK HALF-BACK PAIRING FOR ITALY CLASH". Women's Six Nations Championship. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
17. "Women's RWC: Flying French ready for decisive Ireland tie". The Irish Times. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2021.