{{short description|France international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Maxime Médard | image = Maxime Médard 2016.jpg | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|11|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Toulouse, France | height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|89|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}} | position = Full-back, Wing, Centre | youthyears1 = 1995–2000 | youthyears2 = 2000–2004 | youthclubs1 = Blagnac | youthclubs2 = Toulouse | years1 = 2004–2022 | clubs1 = Toulouse | apps1 = 367 | points1 = 570 | clubupdate = 10 June 2022 | repyears1 = 2008–2019 | repteam1 = France | repcaps1 = 63 | reppoints1 = 73 | repupdate = 20 October 2019 | medals = {{MedalSport|Men's Rugby union}} {{MedalCountry|{{ru|FRA|1974}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Rugby World Cup}} {{MedalSilver|2011 New Zealand|Squad}} }}
'''Maxime Médard''' (born 16 November 1986) is a former French rugby union player who played his club rugby for French club Stade Toulousain in Top 14 and France internationally. He can play as both a full-back and on the wing and is described by assistant national team coach Émile Ntamack as an "incredible talent" that, during the 2010–11 season, was finally "realizing his potential".<ref name="medard_life">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jun/13/new-zealand-france-maxime-medard|title=Six Nations 2011: France's Maxime Médard comes in from the cold|last=Averis|first=Mike|date=11 February 2011|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 February 2011}}</ref> Medard is a two-time winner of the Heineken Cup and, in 2008, won the Top 14 for the first time. Also referred to as 'The French Wolverine.'
== Career ==
=== Club === Médard began his rugby union career playing for local club Blagnac as a youth. His father, Alain, had previously played for the club in the 1980s alongside his uncle Francis. In 2000, he joined Stade Toulousain and spent four years developing. Médard achieved numerous honours as a youth winning the ''Gaudermen Challenge'' in three straight years from 2001 to 2003. In 2004, he made his debut with the senior team and, in the following year, turned professional. In his first year as a professional, Médard was a member of the Toulousain team that won the 2004–05 Heineken Cup. Toulouse defeated league rivals Stade Français 18–12 in the final match, though Médard was not part of the team that won the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/european/4559935.stm |title=Stade Francais 12-18 Toulouse |publisher=BBC |date=22 May 2005 |access-date=25 September 2019}}</ref> Médard burst onto the scene domestically in the 2007–08 season primarily due to injuries to Vincent Clerc and Clément Poitrenaud. He featured regularly in the team that won the Top 14 that season. For his efforts, he was declared the Revelation of the Year by National Rugby League (France) (LNR). He started the 2010 Heineken Cup Final as Toulouse defeated Biarritz.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8687906.stm |title=Biarritz 19-21 Toulouse |publisher=BBC |date=22 May 2010 |access-date=25 September 2019}}</ref> On 5 September 2010, Médard scored the fastest try in league history since 2005 after scoring after 18 seconds against La Rochelle.
=== International === Prior to playing for the senior team, Médard was a regular international at youth level. In 2005, he was a member of the under-21 team that played at the 2005 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in Argentina. In the ensuing season, Médard won the 2006 edition of the competition that was played on home soil. He earned his first senior cap France in November 2008 during a test series match against Argentina. He appeared in subsequent test matches against the Pacific Islanders and the All Blacks. Médard's positive play within the team resulted in the player earning selection to the team that participated in the 2009 Six Nations Championship. In June 2009, Médard scored the late try that sealed France's first victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand since 1994.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jun/13/new-zealand-france-maxime-medard|title=Maxime Médard breakaway try earns France historic win over All Blacks|last=Miller|first=Herman|date=13 June 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=19 July 2009}}</ref>
Médard announced his retirement from rugby in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-04 |title=The retired class of 2022 |url=https://www.world.rugby/news/778367?lang=en |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=world.rugby}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Jared |date=2022-12-19 |title=Retiring Class of 2022: The rugby greats who called time on their careers |url=https://www.planetrugby.com/news/retiring-class-of-2022-xv-club-stalwarts-and-rugby-world-cup-winners-who-brought-their-careers-to-a-close-this-year |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=PlanetRugby |language=en}}</ref>
== International tries == {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%" |- ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result (France-...) !! Competition |- | 1. || 15 November 2008 || Stade Bonal, Sochaux, France || Pacific Islanders || {{center|42–17}} || Test Match |- | 2. || 7 February 2009 || Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland || {{ru|IRE}} || {{center|21–30}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 3. || 21 March 2009 || Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy || {{ru|ITA}} || {{center|50–8}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 4. || 21 March 2009 || Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy || {{ru|ITA}} || {{center|50–8}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 5. || 13 June 2009 || Carisbrook, Dunedin, New Zealand || {{ru|NZL}} || {{center|27–22}} || Test Match |- | 6. || 13 November 2010 || Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France || {{ru|FIJ}} || {{center|34–12}} || Test Match |- | 7. || 5 February 2011 || Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France || {{ru|SCO}} || {{center|34–21}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 8. || 13 February 2011 || Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland || {{ru|IRE}} || {{center|25–22}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 9. || 8 October 2011 || Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand || {{ru|ENG}} || {{center|19–12}} || 2011 Rugby World Cup |- | 10. || 26 February 2012 || Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland || {{ru|SCO}} || {{center|23–17}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 11. || 16 March 2013 || Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France || {{ru|SCO}} || {{center|23–16}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 12. || 13 February 2016 || Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France || {{ru|IRE}} || {{center|10–9}} || Six Nations Championship |- | 13. || 17 August 2019 || Allianz Riviera, Nice, France || {{ru|SCO}} || {{center|32–3}} || Rugby World Cup warm-up matches |- | 14. || 17 August 2019 || Allianz Riviera, Nice, France || {{ru|SCO}} || {{center|32–3}} || Rugby World Cup warm-up matches |}
== Honours ==
=== Club === {{Flag icon|France}} '''Stade Toulousain''' *Top 14: 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2018–19, 2020–21 *Heineken Cup: 2005, 2010, 2021
=== International === {{Flag icon|France}} '''France''' *Under 21 Rugby World Championship: 2006
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.stadetoulousain.fr/equipe-pro/effectifs/1/maxime-medard Stade Toulousain profile page] * [http://www.ercrugby.com/statistics/player_archive.php?player=3125&includeref=dynamic ERC Rugby Profile]
{{Navboxes |title=France squads |bg=#0055A4 |fg=#FFFFFF |bordercolor=#EF4135 |list1= {{France Squad 2011 Rugby World Cup}} {{France Squad 2019 Rugby World Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medard, Maxime}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:French rugby union players H Category:Rugby union wings Category:Rugby union fullbacks Category:France international rugby union players Category:Rugby union players from Toulouse Category:2011 Rugby World Cup players Category:2019 Rugby World Cup players Category:21st-century French sportsmen