Eddy Ben Arous (born 25 August 1990) is a French

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player of

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jo ...

descent who plays

prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

for

Top 14 The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the National Rugby League (France), France National Rugby League, also ...

side

Racing 92 Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...

Early career

Ben Arous began his career with playing for his local side Rugby Trappes, before playing at semi-professional level with Dreux Rugby Club during the 2004-05 season. He was spotted by

US Tours Rugby US Tours Rugby is a French rugby union club that currently competes in the fourth division of French club rugby, the Fédérale 2 competition. US Tours previously competed in the higher divisions, being relegated from Rugby Pro D2 after the 2001-0 ...

to play in the Fédérale 2 club championship division. He turned in strong performances, particularly at the set piece.

Professional

In 2008, he was poached by Racing Métro, and in his first year, was selected for the France U18 team for the 2008 European Championship, where he helped the team to a third championship title. Despite joining Racing Métro in 2008, he didn't receive his first cap until 2010, after receiving a full contract, against Bourgoin - winning 51–20 at home. During that season, he made 9 appearances for the France U20 team across both the

Six Nations Under 20s Championship The Six Nations Under 20s Championship is an international rugby union tournament. It is the under-20s equivalent of the Six Nations Championship. Originally the tournament was in an under-21 format but changed to under-20s in 2008. England ...

and

2010 IRB Junior World Championship The 2010 IRB Junior World Championship was the third annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams, this competition replaced the now defunct under 19 and under 21 world championships. The event was organised by rugby's ...

. He finished fourth during the Six Nations Under 20s Championship, while finishing fifth in the Junior World Championship - beating hosts

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

twice. During the 2011–12 Top 14 season, he became a more regular player with Racing Métro, making 23 appearances for his team in total. Racing Métro made it all the way to the quarter-final that season, but losing to Toulon 17–13. They again made it to the quarter-final in the

2012–13 Top 14 season The 2012–13 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2011–12 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Grenoble and Stade Montois in pl ...

, but lost to Toulouse 33–19. In the

2013–14 Top 14 season The 2013–14 Top 14 competition is a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2012–13 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Oyonnax and Brive in place of th ...

, they made it one step further. Having beaten Toulouse 16–21 in the quarter-final, they had to face European Champions Toulon in the semi-finals. Unfortunately for Racing Métro, they lost 16–6. In November 2012, having played for France at U18, U19 and U20 level, Ben Arous was named in the France national squad for the 2012 autumn internationals by coach

Philippe Saint-André Philippe Georges Saint-André (; born 19 April 1967) is a former French rugby union footballer and was most recently the manager of Top 14 side Montpellier. He earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997. His preferred position was wi ...

. However, he did not play any part in the series. He was later named in the 35-man squad for the 2013 New Zealand Test Series, making his first Les Blues appearance against

Super Rugby Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...

side

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

on 11 June 2013 - winning 38–15. He earned his first Test Cap in the final test on 22 June 2013, coming off the bench for

Thomas Domingo Thomas Domingo (born 20 August 1985) is a French rugby union player. He is of Portuguese in France, Portuguese descent. Domingo, who is a Rugby union positions#1. Loosehead prop & 3. Tighthead prop, loosehead prop, plays his club rugby for ASM Cl ...

on the 64th minute, in the 24–9 defeat.

Honours

: 2015–16

References

1990 births Living people French people of Nigerian descent Rugby union players from Nice French rugby union players Racing 92 players Rugby union props France international rugby union players 2015 Rugby World Cup players 21st-century French sportsmen {{France-rugbyunion-bio-1990s-stub