Ugo Boniface
_2022.jpg) Boniface with Union Bordeaux Bègles in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 July 1998 Marmande, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 125 kg (276 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ugo Boniface (born 21 July 1998) is a French rugby union player who plays as a prop for Vannes in the Top 14.
He began his professional career with Aviron Bayonnais in 2017, playing in Pro D2 and the Top 14. In 2022, he moved to Union Bordeaux Bègles, where he won the European Rugby Champions Cup in 2025 and 2026.
Career
[edit]Boniface was born in Marmande in Lot-et-Garonne, and his father and grandfather were also rugby players who played as props for US Casteljaloux.[1] He began playing for the club's youth teams at age six.[2] After one year with US Nérac,[3] he then moved to SU Agen, where he was a national youth champion in 2014, and in 2016 he joined Aviron Bayonnais.[1]
Boniface began playing professionally for Aviron in Pro D2 in 2017–18. After their relegation from the Top 14 in 2021, it was announced in November that at the end of his contract with the end of the season, he would move on a two-year contract to Union Bordeaux Bègles. He arrived to replace Thierry Paiva, who moved to Stade Rochelais.[4] In October 2022, after three appearances of which one was a start, he was ruled out for two months due to operation on a meniscus tear obtained at his previous club.[5] The following 21 January, with his team already eliminated, he scored a try in a 26–17 home loss to Gloucester in the pool stage of the European Rugby Champions Cup.[6]
Despite his club announcing the signing of a new prop in Matis Perchaud, Boniface signed a new three-year deal in January 2024 to remain contracted to UBB until 2027.[7] In 2023–24, Bordeaux-Bègles reached the Top 14 final, with him coming on as a substitute in a 59–3 loss to Toulouse.[8] In the 2025 European Rugby Champions Cup final against Northampton Saints at the Millennium Stadium, he came off the bench in a 28–20 win.[9] In the next year's final against Leinster in Bilbao, he was a substitute and received a late yellow card in a ruck, as his team won 41–19.[10]
On 17 June 2026, Boniface transferred to newly promoted Vannes on a three-year deal.[11]
International career
[edit]Boniface was called up for France's under-18 B-team for the Schools Three Nations in Ireland in 2016, but was promoted to the main under-18 team for the Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship.[12] After a British and Irish withdrawal, his team won the final 42–0 in Portugal, against Georgia.[13]
With the under-20 team, Boniface won the Six Nations Under 20s Championship and the Under-20 World Cup in 2018.[14][15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Bon sang ne saurait mentir" [Good blood doesn't lie]. Le Petit Journal (in French). 21 July 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Champion d'Europe de rugby avec l'UBB, il revient sur sa terre natale en Lot-et-Garonne" [European rugby champion with UBB, he returns to his homeland in Lot-et-Garonne] (in French). Actu.fr. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Dupont, Lucas (23 August 2023). "L'étonnant parcours d'Ugo Boniface, rugbyman pro" [The astonishing journey of Ugo Boniface, pro rugby player]. Le Petit Bleu (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Paturaud, Jean-François (17 November 2021). "Bayonne: Ugo Boniface rejoindra Bordeaux-Bègles". RMC Sport. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "UBB : Boniface absent deux mois" [UBB: Boniface absent for two months] (in French). Rugbyrama. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Gloucester make knockout stages with sensational win over Bordeaux". Rugby Pass. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Maugue, Yves (9 January 2024). "Rugby - Top 14 : Ugo Boniface prolonge son contrat de trois ans avec l'UBB" [Rugby - Top 14: Ugo Boniface extends his contract for three years with UBB] (in French). Ici. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Cros, Didier (28 June 2024). "Toulouse corrige l'UBB en finale du Top 14 pour s'offrir un 3e doublé Coupe d'Europe-Championnat" [Toulouse routs UBB in the Top 14 final to secure a 3rd European Cup-Championship double]. Le Populaire du Centre (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Cameron, Ian (24 May 2025). "Bordeaux player ratings vs Northampton | 2025 Investec Champions Cup final". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Raisey, Josh (23 May 2026). "Bordeaux-Begles player ratings vs Leinster | 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup final". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Moreau, Manon (17 June 2026). "Transferts. Top 14 - Vannes officialise la signature du pilier Ugo Boniface, double champion d'Europe avec Bordeaux-Bègles" [Transfers. Top 14 - Vannes confirm the signing of prop Ugo Boniface, double European champion with Bordeaux-Bègles] (in French). Rugbyrama. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Le pilier Ugo Boniface (SUA) appelé en renfort" [Prop Ugo Boniface (SUA) called up as reinforcement] (in French). Actu.fr. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Lomu, Jonah (28 March 2016). "XV de France – 18 ans : Champion d'Europe" [France national team – under-18: Champions of Europe]. Rugby Amateur. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "France moins 20 ans : Un Trophée à décrocher !" [France under-20: A Trophy to lift!] (in French). French Rugby Federation. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Rugby. Coupe du monde U20 : la France sacrée championne du monde pour la première fois face à l'Angleterre" [Rugby. U20 World Cup: France crowned world champions for first time against England]. Ouest-France (in French). 17 June 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
External links
[edit]- Ugo Boniface at European Professional Club Rugby
- Ugo Boniface at ItsRugby.fr (in French)
- Ugo Boniface at All.Rugby
- Ugo Boniface at RugbyDatabase.co.nz
