Thomas Castaignède is a very popular French sporting hero with a strong following in the UK as well as internationally. A very classy and natural Rugby Union three-quarter, he made 54 appearances for Les Bleus, his last Test being against the All Blacks in Wellington in June 2007. His international career kicked off against Romania and he went on to score 18 trys for his country, in addition to 42 conversions, 21 penalties and five drop goals.

Thomas introduced himself to world rugby in 1995 with a last minute drop goal, defeating England in the Five Nations. Sadly injury has played a cruel part in his career forcing him out of the 1999 World Cup and various other blights affecting him later on.

His talent and innate class were evident from his early days on the pitch running out for his home town of Mont-de-Marsan. He then transferred to European rugby heavyweights Toulouse, where Thomas was instrumental in helping them to win three successive domestic titles and the inaugural European Cup. After a stint at Castres Olympique, he followed in the footsteps of an elite family of international rugby legends to join Saracens.

Very much a thinker and a clear communicator, Thomas was a columnist with the Guardian for over six years and is a regular on media platforms such the BBC and Sky, and has worked with ITV during the World Cup. He is known for his sunny disposition, honesty and friendliness.

As well as being in demand as a brand ambassador, Thomas is also often requested to give key note talks or sit on question and answer panels. Topics that he speaks on include:

• Pressure Management
• Positive Thinking
• Integration and Change Management
• Bouncing Back

Although he holds a degree in engineering, he currently works in finance and is now back living in France.

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