Theo William

Théo William replaced Alex Tulou with twenty minutes left of his first professional match, against Toulouse on 24 October 2020. He was yellow-carded with a minute to go.

He is a back-row forward at Lyon who also covers second row, 1.94m and 108kg, born in Bourgoin-Jallieu on 4 July 2000.

CS Bourgoin-Jallieu trained him as a flanker before Lyon took him. His first start came a fortnight after the Toulouse match, against Agen.

Lyon loaned him to US Bressane as a medical joker in 2021. He scored on his Pro D2 debut against Grenoble, and after a draw with Provence Rugby the Midi Olympique named him in its team of the week.

He lasted two matches in the Ain. Lyon recalled him in January 2022 with Kilian Geraci and Mathieu Bastareaud injured and Dylan Cretin away with France. He played once, then went back to Bourg-en-Bresse in February.

His first Champions Cup appearance came on 10 December 2022, away at the Bulls.

France Under-20s capped him on 6 March 2020 against Scotland, on for Matthias Haddad with thirteen minutes left of a 29-22 win.

He collected a runners-up medal from the 2025 Challenge Cup final.

A forward of 1.94m who can pack down at six or in the second row is a squad asset rather than a starter, and William has spent his career being exactly that: recalled when the injuries come, sent back down when they clear. The loan spells tell the story better than the appearance list does. He is 26, which is the age at which that pattern either breaks or becomes the career.