David Auradou
A granite-tough lock forward who captained Stade Français to Top 14 dominance, embodying the fierce spirit of French club rugby in the early 2000s.
Born 1973 (age 53)·France international rugby union player·Birthday: November 13·Generation X
Biography
David Auradou’s rugby career is a story of Parisian grit and leadership. Emerging in the professional era, the lock forward became the physical and moral cornerstone of a resurgent Stade Français side. His tenure as captain coincided with the club's most successful period, where his uncompromising play in the engine room of the scrum and his commanding presence helped transform the team into a domestic powerhouse. While his international caps for France were limited, his impact at the club level was profound, representing a specific brand of forward play: intelligent, relentless, and utterly dedicated to the collective cause. His retirement marked the end of an era for a club he helped define, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and success built on the muddy fields of the Top 14.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained Stade Français during their period of dominance in the French Top 14 championship.
- Played as a lock forward for the French national team, earning international caps.
- Spent his entire professional club career in France, primarily with Stade Français.
- Was a key figure in the forward pack known for his physicality and leadership on the field.
Did You Know?
His brother, David Auradou, is also a former professional rugby player.
He played his entire senior club career in France, never moving to a league abroad.
The position of lock forward, which he played, is often referred to as the 'engine room' of the scrum.
“The scrum is a battle of wills, and we never take a backward step.”
