After a hiatus in 2023 due to the Rugby World Cup, France are set to face Japan, New Zealand, and Argentina, and Penaud’s electric form in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, for which he was named the Player of the Series, still lingers fresh in the minds of rugby fans across the globe.
Penaud’s 2022 campaign was nothing short of spectacular, cementing his status as one of the world’s premier finishers. With eight tries for France that year, more than any other player from a Tier 1 nation, Penaud’s performance was a significant driving force behind France’s unbeaten run in the Autumn Nations Series.
His try-scoring ability and tactical awareness made him a nightmare for opposition defences, as highlighted by the fact that he boasted a remarkable 79% tackle evasion rate - the best of any player to face 10 or more tackles in 2022, according to Opta. It wasn’t just the quantity of tries that impressed but the audacity, creativity, and precision with which Penaud finished each one.
Rugby success runs in the blood: his father is former France fly-half Alain Penaud, a Heineken Cup winner with Brive in 1997.
The standout candidate in 2022
As part of a French team that recorded victories over Australia, South Africa, and Japan in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, Penaud’s impact was impossible to overlook. From his match-winning try against Australia to his consistent attacking threat in each game, Penaud was a central figure in a French side that was growing in confidence ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Against the Wallabies, Penaud scored a late try that secured a thrilling 30-29 win in Paris. In true Penaud fashion, it wasn’t just about being in the right place at the right time; it was about positioning himself brilliantly, collecting the ball from Romain Ntamack’s well-timed pass, and finishing with style despite being under immense pressure. That try embodied his ability to create something out of nothing - something the French faithful have come to expect.
It topped off a memorable year for Penaud and France, who earlier in 2022 had clinched a long-await Guinness Men's Six Nations Championship and Grand Slam,
Form heading into 2024
Larger-than-life Penaud has been a talisman for France for the better part of five years now. The way he glides past defenders often feels almost inevitable. In the 2023 Rugby World Cup he was second in the try-scoring chart with six (New Zealand's Will Jordan scored eight); this after claiming number one spot for tries scored in that year's Championship (five).
He scored a brace of tries in his most recent match last weekend for Bordeaux against Owen Farrell's Racing 92, and last season scored 14 tries in the Top 14 (second only to Lyon's Baptiste Couilloud).
For fans looking ahead to the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, there’s no doubt that Penaud will once again be at the heart of France’s attacking efforts. Would you bet against him being in contention for an unprecedented second Player of the Series award?
