Alexandru Ion

Alexandru Ion is a young flanker attached to US Arlequins Perpignanais, born on 9 October 2008. As one of the emerging talents within the club's setup, he is still at the formative stage of his development in the French rugby pyramid. Ion's natural strengths lie in his energy around the breakdown and his appetite for defensive work, traits that mark him out as a back-row prospect to nurture. At this point in his career the emphasis is firmly on learning the fundamentals of forward play — body height in contact, accuracy at the ruck and conditioning for the senior game. Coming through at Perpignan gives him a pathway within a club steeped in the traditions of the French game. While his story is only just beginning, Ion's commitment to the unseen graft of flanker play provides a solid foundation to build upon. The coming seasons will be about adding physical maturity and game understanding as he looks to climb the ranks and earn senior opportunities.