I've got all rugby cigarette cards...

   
... featuring French rugby... as "Power-Collector" Paul (aka "rugbyfootballcards") told me that there were only two of them...

I don't know why, but cigarette cards have never been a French business... as far as I know, no French cigarette card have ever been produced... not to mention rugby ones... So, here are the only two "French" cigarette cards available worldwide...

Left is a W.A & A.C.Churchman cigarette card, printed in 1931, where cartoonist MEL portrays wing-forward Eugène Ribère, then captain of the Equipe de France. I will surely have to dedicate a note to give a full bio of this great player... a strong forward and a true leader who played at Perpignan first (Champion in 1925, runner up in 1924 and 1926), then at Quillan (Champion in 1929, runner up in 1928 and 1930) while gaining 34 caps with Equipe de France between 1924 and 1933 (a short bio printed on the back of the card is available here).

Right is a Pattreiouex cigarette card, issued in 1923, showing a disputed thrown-in between Blackeath and Racing Club de France (RCF) touring in England... and I must admit that I don't know the details of this match... I should research a wee bit...

And that's all... only two cards... ready to print the full and detailed catalogue of French rugby cigarette cards !

(larger pictures here or there @ Fickr)

Edit April 3 : Ooops... I didn't know that there was some German cards with French rugby... could I have the name and date of these series, please ?

Comments

[Paul 'rugbyfootballcards)]

Hi Fred!

Great to see that you've got the Franco-British "set" but don't forget that the French rugby team appear on several German cigarette cards.

"Power-collector"; I like that epithet! I think ;-)

Cordialement

Paul

[Paul (rugbyfootballcards)]

Oops! Just seen your earlier edit; you do know.

There are two cards in a series called "Deutche Sport" issued in the 1920s by three different manufacturers - 'Bulgaria', 'Jasmatzi' and 'Josetti' - both featuring the French rugby team. They are no.90 "Das ist Rugby!" and no.91 "Moment aus dem Rugby-Landerkampf Deutchland gegn Frankriech".