Owen Fresnais

Owen Fresnais, born on 31 May 2007, is one of the youngest forwards attached to Lyon Olympique Universitaire. Still a teenager, he sits firmly in the development bracket of a club that competes in France's Top 14, learning his trade in an environment renowned for producing hard-edged forwards. Fresnais' game is shaped around the physical fundamentals of forward play: carrying into contact, working the breakdown, and adding numbers to the set piece. At his age the priority is physical development and game understanding rather than senior honours, and his progress will be measured in the age-grade and academy fixtures that bridge the gap to professional rugby. As a product of the Lyon pathway, he is one to monitor over the coming seasons as he builds toward first-team contention. For now he embodies the raw, developing talent every leading French club relies on to refresh its forward ranks.