Biography
Camille Lopez is pure French rugby craft — a Basque-flavoured playmaker born 3 avril 1989 in Oloron-Sainte-Marie (France), who made a career out of steering teams with his boot and his brain. Listed at 1.75 m, he built his reputation at fly-half (demi d’ouverture), the position where you either own the game… or the game owns you.
His story starts early: he discovers rugby at six years old at SA Mauléon, the club tied closely to his family (his older brother Sébastien played there). And he didn’t just play there — he won there, taking youth titles before eventually climbing all the way to the XV de France, where he logged 28 caps (167 points) between 2013 and 2019.
List of Teams Played For
- SA Mauléon (1995–2008, junior)
- SA Mauléon (2008–2009)
- Union Bordeaux Bègles (2009–2013)
- USA Perpignan (2013–2014)
- ASM Clermont (2014–2022)
- Aviron bayonnais (2022–2025)
Rugby World Cups Played
Japan 2019 (France reached the quarter-finals; Lopez played 4/4 matches listed in the provided text.)
Key Career Moments
Lopez’s rise has that classic “local kid becomes national conductor” vibe — with a few heavy hits along the way.
- Youth champion at Mauléon: He wins the Champion de France cadets Teulière (2006) and Champion de France juniors Balandrade (2007) — proof early on that this wasn’t just a talented kid, but a winner.
- UBB transformation: Spotted in 2009 by Vincent Etcheto and Laurent Marti, he joins Union Bordeaux Bègles and reshapes his game (and body), dropping roughly 10 kg to settle around 86 kg, then locks down the fly-half role. He helps UBB win promotion to Top 14 in 2011.
- First France start — in the deep end: On 8 juin 2013, he earns his first start for France… against the All Blacks at Eden Park. That’s not an introduction — that’s a trial by fire.
- Injury setback at Perpignan: With USA Perpignan, his season is derailed by a rupture of the ACL in his right knee on 17 décembre (year implied as 2013 from context).
- Clermont era = big-stage Lopez: He becomes a key man at ASM Clermont, even eclipsing the iconic Brock James at times, starting all 6 pool matches of the 2015 European campaign.
- France impact games:
- Vs Fidji, he posts 13 points and sparks an early try with a diagonal kick.
- Vs Australie, he nails 16 points in a 29–26 win — one of those nights where an out-half’s calm becomes a whole country’s relief.
- Six Nations 2017 — the points machine: He finishes as the tournament’s top scorer with 67 points, at 89% success, and gets named among nominees for player of the tournament (finishing 11th in the vote).
- European drama and clutch drops: In the 2017 European run with Clermont, he lands crucial moments — including two decisive drops vs Leinster in a historic semi-final win.
- Champion de France 2017: The headline club glory: Top 14 champion in 2017 with Clermont.
- Serious ankle injury: On 21 octobre 2017, he suffers a fractured malleolus in Champions Cup (Clermont–Northampton), ruling him out for months before returning in mars 2018.
- Challenge européen winner 2019: On 10 mai 2019, he wins the Challenge européen final with Clermont vs Stade rochelais (36–16).
- RWC 2019 signature moment: In the World Cup opener vs Argentina, he comes off the bench and kicks the drop goal that swings France back in front — vintage “test-match nerve.”
- Late-career class at Bayonne: In 2022–2023, he’s selected in the Top 14 team of the season, with 182 points credited largely to his kicking game.
- Retirement on a huge stage: He ends his career after the Top 14 semi-final 2024–2025, lost to Toulouse.
Personal Life
He’s described as Basque, born in Béarn and raised close to Mauléon in Chéraute, where rugby was basically part of the scenery. His brother Sébastien (four years older) played at SA Mauléon, and that family connection is painted as a major reason Lopez stayed loyal early — turning down other opportunities until 2009.