The versatile third-row from Montpellier, impressive since the start of the season, will be a substitute against Ireland and should honor his third international cap.
Pure product of Hérault training
Before shining in Montpellier, the solid Lenni Nouchi (1.94 m, 108 kg) learned his classes in Béziers, with whom he won two French cadet championship titles (Gaudermen in 2018 with the U15s, Alamercery the following year with the U16s). He then joined the MHR training center in 2021, where he quickly established himself as an essential element, extending his contract until 2028 despite the interest of several clubs, notably Toulon. “When we discussed his renegotiation with him, we told him that he was the cornerstone of the project”explained Hérault coach Joan Caudullo to Sud Ouest. At 22, Nouchi is the youngest captain in the Top 14 (ahead of Clermontois Baptiste Jauneau for… a week). It was Patrice Collazo, manager of the club during the difficult season in 2023-2024 (maintenance assured during the accession/relegation play-off), who gave him the armband. “Lenni is a born leader. Wherever he went, he established himself as captaincontinues Joan Caudullo. At least the others followed him. And above all, he had been captain of teams that had won. That was super important for us.”
Why Lenni as a first name?
It is an unusual first name, of Celtic origin, which is mainly found in Scandinavian countries. In France, only 15 babies have inherited this first name in 2024. Why, then, did the Nouchi parents choose this surname? The person concerned had told the why and how to our colleagues atAt the time of Rugby : “It’s a nod to Legi Matiu (pronounced Leni, Editor’s note) to whom my father is very close. I was born in Agen in 2003 when they had just left after playing together in Biarritz. Today, the friendship between the two fathers continues with their descendants, since Lenni Nouchi is very close to the UBB player, Temo Matiu, son of Legi who was international twice during the 2000 Six Nations Tournament (Wales and England).
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In the footsteps of his professional rugby player father
Damn you can’t lie. If Lenni Nouchi is a beautiful baby, his father Samuel was even more impressive: a second row of 2.02 m and 114 kg. If the son is loyal to the MHR, the paterfamilias has, on the other hand, worn the colors of several teams: Toulon (1997-2000), Biarritz (2000-2002), Agen (2002-2004), Montpellier (2004-2006) and Béziers (2006-2010). At the end of his career, Samuel Nouchi became a coach, he was recently in charge of the Espoirs of AS Béziers, before becoming the sports director of the Rugby Club Nîmois which competes in the Nationale 2 championship, the fourth division. A Gard club in which a certain Luca Nouchi (24 years old), the brother of Lenni, plays as a right pillar.
Debuts in Blue which were expected
A predestined path to the XV of France. Lenni Nouchi, before discovering the Blues, was the captain of the French under-20 team crowned world champion in 2023, at the end of a final won 50-14 against Ireland. A match during which the Bleuets third row scored a try. From the 2024 Six Nations Tournament, he is called up to Fabien Galthié’s group of 42 players. But, we will have to wait for the tour of the XV of France in Argentina in the summer of 2024 for him to honor his first two international caps, with a great performance during the second test (lost) with a total of 20 tackles. Due to injuries, the Montpellier native was unable to continue last summer in New Zealand, then during the last autumn tour. Before putting it in the best conditions: the MHR preserved it during the four matches played (and won) in the European Cup this season. What Joan Caudullo explained: “Lenni will not play in the Challenge Cup, which will give him a period of development. We will entrust him to our physical trainers and he will develop. With 6 tries scored in 13 matches this season in the Top 14 and a colossal slaughter, whether in attack or defense, Lenni Nouchi was logically called to Marcoussis for his first Six Nations Tournament among the «grands».
He is “THE French third line”, according to Bernard Laporte
Since the start of the season, Lenni Nouchi has multiplied his top performances. Bernard Laporte, former XV coach of France now the director of rugby at the MHR, was more than laudatory to our colleagues at Free Middayevoking “a guy who comes full force and for whom I have a lot of affection. The competition is going to be terrible. I think Lenni is a very, very great rugby player. For me, he’s THE French third line, in number 8 or on the wing, he knows how to do everything. In addition, he understood that announcing the hits was an added value. He is interested in everything and, above all, he arrives at the top at the right time. And Sébastien Calvet, his former manager at the U20s, added South West : “He has a complete range, he is very effective in all combat tasks and he creates danger when he carries the ball. He doesn’t have one superpower but several.” Only one small downside raised by Joan Caudullo: “He still has work to do to develop his leadership.” Almost perfect.
