Nathan Decron (born 17 February 1998) is a France rugby union player who plays as a centre for Pau in the Top 14 competition. He won the
Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship
The Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship is an annual rugby union championship for Under-18 national teams, held since 2004. The championship is organised by rugby's European governing body, Rugby Europe.hometown
Hometown, HomeTown, or Home Town may refer to:
*A hometown, the town where someone lives or the town that they come from, typically their place of birth.
*In developing nations particularly: native place, village of origin in newly urbanized soci ...
club in 2007. In 2013, he joined the SU Agen training center, making his breakthrough into the first team in 2016. In 2017, he moved to Bordeaux, signing a three-year espoir contract with Union Bordeaux Bègles. Hindered by injuries, he returned to SU Agen in 2019.
Early Years at SU Agen
Decron began his professional career in the 2016-17 Pro D2 season, playing five matches. He made his debut against Stade montois.
Union Bordeaux Bègles
During the 2018–2019 season, he made six appearances for Union Bordeaux Bègles, five in Top 14 and one in the
EPCR Challenge Cup
The EPCR Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union competition organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the second-tier competition for clubs based in European leagues behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. From its inception i ...
. A knee injury in the 3rd round of the Espoirs French Championship against SU Agen kept him out for the following season, leading to an extensive rehabilitation at the CERS de
Capbreton
Capbreton (; oc, Capberton) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Located at the mouth of the Boudigau and Bourret rivers, the town is situated about 40 km north of Biarritz.
The town is a ...
.
Return to SU Agen
He was loaned to SU Agen by UBB for the 2019–20 season. In February 2020, he signed his first professional contract with the Lot-et-Garonne club until 2022. In December 2020, he was named captain for the match against
CA Brive
Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin, also referred to as CA Brive, Brive () or CAB, is a French professional rugby union club based in Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the Corrèze department. They compete in the first-tier Top 14 competition.
Briv ...
. He experienced Agen's nightmare
2020–21 Top 14 season
The 2020–21 Top 14 competition is the 122nd France, French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the National Rugby League (France), Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). After play was suspended following the 17th matchday of the 2019–2 ...
, concluding with no victories in Top 14.
Fresh start at Section Paloise
During the offseason, he joined Section Paloise from the
2021–22 Top 14 season
The 2021–22 Top 14 competition is the 123rd French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
Teams
Number of teams by regions
Competition format
The top six teams at the end of the reg ...
season. He reunited with his best friend
Clément Laporte
Clément Laporte (born January 7, 1998) is a French rugby union player who plays as a full back or wing for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on September 30, 2017.
Playing career
Clément Lapo ...
. Following an excellent start to the season, he injured his back during training and suffered a Spinal disc herniation in January 2022. Despite rehabilitation at CERS de
Capbreton
Capbreton (; oc, Capberton) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Located at the mouth of the Boudigau and Bourret rivers, the town is situated about 40 km north of Biarritz.
The town is a ...
, he faced difficulties, including flat feet after short distances. Electromyograms showed initial nerve deficits of 70%, reduced to 50% after six months but persisting despite progress. Decron missed 11 months of competition.
It was during the
2022–23 Top 14 season
The 2022–23 Top 14 competition is the 124th French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
Teams
Fourteen clubs will compete in the 2022-23 Top 14 season, 13 of them returning. Biarritz were r ...
that Nathan Decron made his comeback, participating in 7 Top 14 matches and 3
EPCR Challenge Cup
The EPCR Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union competition organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the second-tier competition for clubs based in European leagues behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. From its inception i ...
matches. Two seasons after this string of injuries, Nathan Decron has fully recovered and regained his peak physical form, although he still contends with nerve deficits necessitating compensatory muscle strengthening. Nonetheless, Decron has emerged as a linchpin for Section Paloise in 2023-24. This advancement secured him a three-season contract extension.
National Team Career
Nathan Decron won the
Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship
The Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship is an annual rugby union championship for Under-18 national teams, held since 2004. The championship is organised by rugby's European governing body, Rugby Europe.2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship
The 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship was the tenth annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams. The event was organised in Georgia by rugby's governing body, World Rugby. Twelve nations played in the tournament, ...
in Georgia with the
France national under-20 rugby union team
The France under 20 rugby team are the newest representative rugby union team from France. They replace the two former age grade teams Under 19s and Under 21s. Their first tournament was the 2008 Six Nations U20 Championship, where they finished ...
. In the same year, he took part in the
Six Nations Under 20s Championship
The Six Nations Under 20s Championship is an international rugby union tournament. It is the under-20s equivalent of the Six Nations Championship. Originally the tournament was in an under-21 format but changed to under-20s in 2008. England wer ...
.
In January 2021, he participated in the Six Nations 2021 training camp in Nice with the
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team () represents France in men's international rugby union and it is administered by the French Rugby Federation. They traditionally play in blue shirts emblazoned with the national emblem of a golden rooster ...