Rugby-Pioneers

Natives vs Show-Bizz : it's a matter of tie...

 

I started to play rugby in 1986 when I was 20... At the time, French rugby was revigorated by a gang of 5 talented players from Racing Club de France, self-named the "Show-Bizz" aka Franck Mesnel, Jean-Ba Laffont, Eric Blanc, Yvon Rousset and Philippe Guillard... These gentlemen brought to the highest point the rugby values of fun, flair, friendship, eccentricity... together with performances and hard work... culminating in 1987 when Racing three-quarters played (but lost...) the final of French Championship wearing a pink bow-tie... or in 1990 sipping Champagne in crystal glasses (served by Yvon Rousset...) at half-time of their their second (and winning!) Champional final...

At the end of their "rugby years",  the "Show-bizz" five founded Eden Park, a tremendous sucess story in sportswear and fashion, which brand logo couldn't be anything else than a pink bow-tie... This 20 years adventure is commemorated in a richly illustrated book published last year, "Rugby Papillon" (on sale here ; some sample pages available).

So what ??

"Show-Bizz" and Eden Park is not exactly rugby history (yet...) ??

The point is that I was recently sorting out some pictures about the New Zealand Maori team that toured to England in 1888-1889 - please read that former post about it - and suddendly realised that some of the "Natives" were also wearing ties with their rugby kit !

I can't determine from this b&w picture if the ties were also pink (doubtful....), but I am now sure that the "Show-bizz" Racingmen have something to share with their Maoris elders !!

Let's also caption my pictures :

Portrays are W.Anderson and G.A. Williams from the New Zealand Natives team in 1888 - I have found these pictures in "Football : Rugby Union Game" by Rev. F.Marshall, published in 1892, an fantastic archive of XIXth century rugby.

Below is RCF center Eric Blanc (now RCF Manager...) during 1987 final ; credit to "Rugby Papillon"

Happy birthday ! 100 years of Rugby League in Australia

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Discalimer : I like Rugby League !

Second disclaimer : I like Australian Rugby League even more !

1908 - 2008 : Rugby League celebrates its 100th anniversary these days in Australia ! Happy birthday down under, and I am happy to participate to the fiesta...

Modern times, first : if you have a couple of spare hours before you, you should pay a visit to NRL website... National Rugby League (yes, they did it the American way... "Australian" RL is just "National" RL...) is loaded with tons of videos to bring you the best of the games, present or past... this website is incredibly rich... there even is an "teleport" access to Second Life that will interest some of my readers...

History, then : I would urge any rugby fan to read each and every story shared by rugby historian Sean Fagan on his great website rl1908.com ... Sean goes far beyond the history of Rugby League in Australia... it will give you a deep insight in the evolution of all rugby codes... a "Must" !

Bridgeing between history and modern times, let me advertise for a temporary exhibition organised by the National Museum of Australia "League of Legends : 100 years of Rugby League in Australia" that will move around Australia over the next 12 months. All details and lots of pictures of this fantastic memorabilia (caps, jerseys, trophies, pictures...) on NMA website here... Sean has written a chapter of the catalogue of this exhibition - "The Game Begins" - , that I am displaying here... All credits to the NMA and I hope that they won't mind me to publish their pictures... Having said that, the full catalogue can be either purchased or downloaded (in pdf) here...

And now for something different... the mad kiwis at Alternative Rugby Commentary (do make sure this website is in your bookmarks...!) have celebrated NRL anniversary their own way... just hilarious !

And finally, let me "hurray" with the 1908 Kangaroos shouting their war-cry upon their arrival in England... full story at Sean's place...

Technorati : rugby league, nrl

Pierre Vitalien "Le rugby aux Jeux Olympiques"

Introducing a recent French rugby book, by Olympic collector and writer Pierre Vitalien about Rugby at the Olympic Games (1900-1936).

Pierre has spent a lot of time and efforts to gather all possible documents about the games held in Paris (1900), London (1908), Antwerp (1920), Paris again (1924) and Berlin (1936... a pre-olympic tournament that was unknown to me until I read it...)... All possible stats, press pictures, postcards, bio of all players... are displayed there, as this book is much more about memorabilia than historical analysis... Let's also mention that I have brought a very modest contribution to this book...

Do you want to have a look at it ? please check this 3 min video ... my new job as a book reviewer (thanks to my webcam...) !

Pierre Vitalien : le rugby aux Jeux Olympiques
envoyé par Frederic

This book costs @ 30€ + shipping costs. It is not available online, as it is published and commercialised by Pierre Vitalien himself. If you are interested, just send me a mail for inquiries or orders ; I will forward it to Pierre.

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, vitalien, olympic games

Help wanted about Tredegar Hibernians RFC

Genealogy researchers often land on my website... and I am always happy when I can bring pictures or informations about ruggers from the past...

This time, there is nothing I can do... but I am confident that Welsh readers could help...

I received today a kind mail from Jim - his grandfather is on the picture..- asking for some background information about Tredegar Hibernians RFC who won the Rhymney Junior League in 1910.

We are looking for any kind of stories or pictures about Tredegar RFC (there's apparently nothing at the Club) and Rymney Junior League in pre-WW1 times... Please leave a comment below if you've got any clue..

(a larger picture here)


Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, Tredegar Hibernians, Rhymney

The smallest rugby poster print in the World ?

My picture here is far larger than the original one... that I picked up in a sports catalogue from the mid 20s... (hi res scans can do miracles ... here is a large one on Flickr...)

This kind of poster prints come with a blank area, where Rugby Clubs advertise for the next fixture...

(French collectors call that "une affiche passe-partout"... what about in English ?)

This print was drawn by Louis de Fleurac, an artist but also a true sportsman (mostly a "miler", Bronze medal at 1908 Olympics in London... at "3 mile team"...)... co-author of a book about running and track & field with rugger Pierre Faillot...

In the mid 20s, De Fleurac was also publishing sports sketches for French magazine "Tous les Sports" ... I've got a couple of ruggers to show another time...

Today print comes from "Mestre et Blatgé Football catalogue"... that brings everything a sportsman could dream of... again, I'll show that soon...

   

A very small print, indeed !   I am now chasing for the original one....

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, fleurac, mestre & blatgé

Sports Auction in Paris yesterday... and a shortcut to 1912 rugby in Bordeaux...

There was a sport auction yesterday in Paris, where some nice rugby memorabilia was presented (thank you, Pierre, for the catalogue).

I took a wise decision (for my personal finances, I mean...)... and decided NOT to attend the sale.

I only have limited regrets, as the finest rugby item of the auction, i.e. this pre-WW1 poster print by Van Hasselt on the cover page of the catalogue, is already at home...

It's a large poster print (120 x 160 cm) first printed in 1907, mostly used in the region of Bordeaux where Dutch artist W.Van Hasselt was established (Arcachon to be precised, if Jacques is reading me...).

This print was also used on this nice "one page" programme for the semi-finals of 1912 French championship, with the name of the players and a scorecard printed on the back  (Bordeaux vs Racing Club de France, on March 17, 1912).... too bad that the original owner cut it into two parts to save the picture only... (large pic here : front / back )

Many "big" names on the field that day... Lane, Burgun, Faillot for RCF... Bruneau, Boyau, Leuvielle for Bordeaux... And a surprising 8-4 victory for the visiting side ...

My Welsh friends will also appreciate the presence of "Billy Bordeaux" on the local side, as Willie Morgan was nicknamed in France... W.Morgan was an international Welsh player, brother of Teddy Morgan, the man who scored THE try against the All Blacks on THAT famous December 16, 1905..

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, van hasselt, bordeaux, RCF, morgan

Dally Messenger, Goal kicking contest, Sydney 1910

A strange postcard indeed... and, again, a lot to tell...

Here are Jimmy Lomas and Dally Messenger, respectively England and Australia captains, engaged in a goal kicking contest, just before the second test match of the 1910 tour in Sydney, in front of a reported 42,000 people crowd (all stats are here @ rlhalloffame.org.uk).

My attention was drawn by John (www.ovalballs.com) with whom I was discussing about this other postcard recently auctioned on eBay (damn, I should have bought it as well...)... same location, same people, same action... but different picture...

Edit 21/01/08 : I am getting wrong ! Sean pointed out  that the chap in white jersey/black socks is not an English player as I thought, but the referee !... actually, the 1910 English RL team was playing in hoops.. so things are now simple : you've got a nice pair of postcards... Jimmy Lomas up there, Dally M down there... that's it... thanks Sean !

 

I was not very sure about the possibility of a goal kicking contest - what a lovely idea, indeed ! - and eventually was very happy to find a confirmation in Sean Fagan's great book about Dally Messenger, as he his also reporting - and bringing another picture - this kind of contest before the 1910 test matches.

A perfect opportunity, then, to warmly recommend "The Master", subtitled "The life and times of Dally Messenger Australia's first sporting superstar" by Sean Fagan and Dally Messenger III.

I do not intend to give you here a full bio of Dally M - regular readers maybe remember that Sean gave us some kind of teaser a year ago (pfff... time flies...) - . Quoting Sean : "Herbert Henry - Dally- Messenger was a star rugby union player (NSW
& Australia) in 1907. In August 1907 he turned professional and
joined the New South Wales Rugby League (now NRL). Nicknamed "Dally M",
he was known equally for his spectacular play, and his prodigous drop
& place kicking."

To end up with this story, let's mention that, on that June 18th 1910, England won the test vs Australia 27 - 20... despite Dally Messenger scoring one try and four goals... and let's bet that Dally surely won the kicking contest...

All details to purchase Sean's book are here on his fantastic website rl1908.com

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, England, Australia, Dally M, Dally Messenger

Happy New Year !

All the best... great rugby memorabilia... have fun... and hope to meet you somewhere in 2008...


Identificateurs Technorati : rugby

Advertising for friends and introducing "sports-depoque.com"

Yes, it's advertising... and I am very happy to do it !

Last year,  Benoit - a French rugger - made a fine contribution to this website. He also explained me that he was developing the project of selling rugby memorabilia online.

One year later, his project has turned to be a company "Sports d'Epoque" managed by his wife Valerie. "Sports d'Epoque" is proposing high quality jersey replicas (France 1906, France 1927, All Blacks 1905-6), prints reproductions and lead rugby figurines. The shop is online @ www.sports-depoque.com .

It's now possible to wear a replica of Yves du Manoir's jersey (sure, I need to write a note on this great sportsman who died in 1928 in a plane crash)...

Benoit and Valerie have also designed some memorabilia reminding us of the 1906 France - All Blacks fixture, i.e. the first international match of France. Just check out these two great lead figurines, portraying team captains Henri Amand and Dave Gallaher. (on sale here)

Tony, Michael, you now have some French competitors...

I wish a lot of success to "Sports d'Epoque" !

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby

You could also meet rugby memorabilia fans on Flickr...

For those who don't know, Flickr is a photo-hosting service (I mean, my photo hosting service...) that comes with so-called "social" functionalities, i.e. the ability to comment, share, join groups of interest etc... I was very happy to recently "meet" there with Mando Maniac, from Canada (err... not her real name!). Mando is not exactly a rugby fan, but she has a strong interest - among other... - in cigarette cards (check her "cigarette cards" group) and vintage children illustrations... like me !

Today, Mando is sharing with us this wonderful cover from a 1920s "Bumper book for boys"

She has posted some 30 rugby pictures (mostly cigarette cards) on Flickr here. All her other pictures are there...

Thank you Mando !

(again, all contributors are welcome... )


Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, book, flickr

Celebrating 100 years of "Les Bleus"... and a quizz!

We celebrated last year the 100th anniversary of "Equipe de France" but I realized only last Sunday that we could now celebrate the introduction of our - now traditional - blue jersey...

France played its two first international fixtures in January 1906 against the All Blacks (check it here and there), then in March 1906 against England (here)... wearing white colours that were terribly similar to English colours... and moved the following year to a blue jersey / white short / red stockings kit that has remained fairly unchanged ... until recent years and the involvement of sports manufacturers into "rugby circus"...

So... French blue jerseys were first introduced in January 1907 to play England in Richmond, i.e. the second ever meeting of the two countries and the first in Enland - with the home side winning 41 -13.

French players on the image were (from left to right) Mauriat, Vergès, Lacassagne and Muhr.

I am afraid that I don't have any picture of this match in my collection... this one comes from "L'Encyclopédie du Rugby" by Jean-Pierre Bodis - out of press... please hurry to reprint ! - (and thanks Pierre V. for the scan)

And now, a quizz ! Simon droped me a mail some days ago asking for assistance to identify this jersey... and I must admit that I don't know (that's why I was searching among old French rugby jerseys...). Could somebody help ?



And for something completely different ...
RWC Semi-finals - France vs England : H - 4 days...



Identificateurs Technorati : rugby

France secret weapon to avoid the All Blacks in Quarter Finals...

"Ireland's shot at redemption" is an article published on BBC RWC Blog yesterday by Radio 5Live journalist Alastair Eykyn.

Alastair gives here five reasons why Ireland can qualify for the quarter-finals... which is definitely a scenario that every French rugby fan will support !

Go Ireland !

Talking about "redemption"... let's push a little on Christian rethorics... let's call for the support of "Notre Dame du Rugby" and hope She hears Irish and French prayers...

Notre-Dame du Rugby is a Chapel in this wonderful region of Landes (Larrivière, southwest of France - map here) entirely dedicated to rugby... old jerseys, memorabilia... and some fine stained glasses, such as this "Virgin on the touch line"

Abbot Michel Devert - a priest but also a rugby educator - wanted to dedicate a Chapel to rugby after three young ruggers from Dax died in a car accident in 1963. It took him some time and efforts to collect the necessary funds and the Chapel eventually opened in 1967. You could find more information (in French) on the website of the Diocese.

For once, the pictures don't belong to me... the upper picture is a postcard published and copyrighted by "les Authentiques et les Imaginaires"... and credit to "Eglise Catholique dans les Landes" website for the lower picture.

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, Notre Dame du Rugby, Larrivière

Rule n°33 "the Island is all in goal"

Are you sure, dear reader, that you know all the rules of Rugby game ?

Just consider rule n°33 "the Island is all goal"... (in French "l'Ile est entièrement dans l'en-but")

I am "obviously" refering to the very first written rules of our favorite sport, written in 1845 by three 17 years old students of Rugby College (W.D.Arnold - Thomas Arnold's son -  W.W.Shirley and F.Hutchins )... A French editor recently had this fine idea to publish a booklet (here @ Amazon in French, and here @ Amazon in English) gathering and translating both 1845 and 1871 rules, together with a nice foreword by Jean Lacouture and historical explanations by Jed Smith, the curator the RFU Museum of Rugby at Twickenham (cf this previous note)

1845 rules - again, the very first written rules of any kind of football-rugby - were then comprizing of some local particularities of Rugby College, about discipline, about college rules etc... but also about local topography !

If the "Big-Side", i.e. this large area of deep grass inside the college walls, being just perfectly sized for the practice of rugby... , is fairly well known in "rugby litterature" (cf this 1900s postcard below), I must admit I didn't know anything about this Island... Here is larger map of Rugby College as shown in this book... and let's imagine a XIXth rugger diving for a valid try in this Island... without the support of the video referee...



Nota : "The Island" is a 1891 etching published in Illustrated London News (June 6, 1891) in a 8 page supplement about "the great schools of England" - great text and pictures about Rugby school...

Technorati Tags : rugby, rugby college, lacouture, jed smith

Rugby memorabilia... in real life !

Now, it's serious...

It's no longer about collecting rugby pictures on my own, nor bringing bribes of rugby history online... rugby-pioneers.com is now getting public... "in real life" as you say on the net...

First, I will be a speaker during a two-days conference organised by Sciences Po, one of the most reknown university in Paris, next October 11th and 12th. The conference - partly in French and in English - will discuss various aspects of rugby history around the world. As of myself, I will give a 1h lecture based on pictures (and possibly old movies, if I can arrange it...)... no more details today, I don't have any clue of how I am going to package this !

The program of the conference is here. Access is free, but register first at contact.centre-histoire@sciences-po.fr

Venue : Sciences Po, 56 rue des Saints-Pères 75007 Paris, salle Goguel


Agrandir le plan

Second, I have provided most of the iconography to an exhibition named "Rugby : les Années Folles 1890-1930" hosted by Societe Generale (Societe Generale - one of the main sponsors of RWC - has been supporting rugby since... 1904, their coporate team CASG used to be a major team in the 20s). You'll find there pictures, stories and some memorabilia... inside a wonderful XIX century building located closed to the Opera House.

Some details (in French) here... or drop me mail for further questions !

Entrance is free (Monday - Friday) from 9 am to 5.45pm (untill November 3d)

Venue : Societe Generale 29 bd Haussmann 75009 Paris


Agrandir le plan

You're all welcome !


Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, societe generale, sciences-po

D-Day !

D-Day ! No-one on the rugby planet can ignore that the World Cup is starting today in Paris !

I have no ambition to bring here a exhaustive coverage of the competition... there are dozens of blogs and websites that will do that better and faster than me.... I will however try to find some stories or pictures to connect present and past...

As a starter, let me share something that came to me attention a couple of days ago..

As you probably all know, France rugby shirts wear a Gallic rooster (*), a symbol elected by Marcel Communeau in 1913 - then captain of the team. Before that, i.e. between 1906 and 1911 as above, France was showing blue and red rings, the colours of USFSA (French Union).

I was amused to find these two pictures in La Vie Au Grand Air magazine dated 1905, already showing an oversized rooster on the French side...






My newspaper calls it "an international game between France and Ireland" at the Parc des Princes... but, there is no such fixture in our official records !

French line-up looks very much to the team that will play against New Zealand some months later (Jan.1st, 1906) our first official international game. I suspect that this fixture had been organised without USFSA approval, possibly by Racing Club de France... I will investigate !

Seven ruggers from Stade Français (Marescal, Vareilles, de Talencé, Jérome, Verges, Gaudermen, Hadley), six from RCF (Lasne, Martinet, Chautemps, Gondoin, Chapuis - cap -, Muhr), one from SCUF (Neyreneuf) and the last one from Lyons (Cessieux) did participate to a very honourable defeat 8 - 13 to the Irish side

There's a high probability that Communeau, aged 19 and yet member of the Stade Français "first" team, at least knew about this jersey or even attended to the game (5000 persons, incl. Parliament President Paul Doumer...)... and remembered it in 1913...

Only a theory, I admit...  ;-)

Enough said : Allez la France !

(*) in latin, "Gallus" means both a rooster and a Gallic... it is said the English were the first to nickname their beloved neighbours after such a wonderful animal...

Technorati Tags : rugby, france, communeau, cockrel

Rugby-Pioneers season IV : "Fun and Great Games in Rugby" !

I am back !

Summer break is behind us... and I can't believe that I am opening my fourth season of blogging about rugby history and rugby memorabilia... (ok, I am cheating... "Season I" was only 6 months long... )

"Fun and Great Games in Rugby" is the title of this Boy's Own Paper cover page dated April 1919... and is now my motto as a great and intense season of rugby is starting as well !

Even if this space is dedicated to the early days of rugby, I could certainly not escape the fact that Rugby World Cup is about to kick-off in a few days here in France... As a rugby fan, I am starting to get exited... I am sure it's going to be a great event and that visitors to France will enjoy it... I will personnally attend to six features... pool round, quater final, semi final... only final is missing !

I am also involved in a rugby memorabilia exhibition to be hosted by Societe Generale during the competition ("Le rugby des Années Folles : 1890-1930") and will be a speaker (with the support of my pictures, of course !) at a conference on rugby history at "Sciences Po"  end of october. More details to follow, stay tuned !

One nice thing about the event is that rugby fans from the whole world are going to visit us... including some regular readers of this website that I am happy to meet "in real life" in Paris...

Actually, there will be several opportunities to discuss rugby history during the RWC (exhibitions, conferences, or informal meetings at the next rugby pub...) : I'll keep you updated !




Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, rwc

Rugby at the Fine Art Museum, finally...

Rugby artwork finally recognized...

Yves Roowy's Olympic postcard series eventually exhibited in Paris...

No kidding ! ... just playing with one-click-visual-effects at www.dumpr.net ...


Technorati Tags: rugby, roowy

XIXth century rugby die-cut

Kid stuff... Victorian die-cuts coming from an old scrapbook...

Nice rugby kits, indeed...

(full size picture here)


Technorati Tags: rugby, die-cut

Rugby books for boys

Youth litterature is a constant source of colorful rugby illustrations... here are two great cover prints from the 20s !

I recently purchased the first one (Herbert Strang's Annual, 1924), while the other one was referred to me by Patricia, who displays tons of vintage illustrations on her great website "L'Agence Eureka". She actually found this picture on the web, at "The Culture Archive". Thank you, Patricia !

(Herbert Strang's Annual full size pic is here. )

A.Jaureguy - F.Borde - Stade Toulousain

Adolphe Jaureguy again...

Frederic kindly sent me this nice photography (*)... Toulouse center and captain François Borde (yes, with a beret !) passing the ball to his winger Adolphe Jaureguy... two legendary players from a period when Stade Toulousain was ruling French championship... six times champion (and one lost final) between 1921 and 1927...

The picture, signed by the players, is dedicated to Dr Paul Voivenel, a former prop from Toulouse before WW1, then journalist at La Depeche du Midi (the main regional newspaper in Toulouse) and Midi Olympique (the one and only rugby weekly newspaper)

Frederic is an editor who published earlier this year a great book to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Stade Toulousain (this photography is inside the book... on a double page...)

Stade Toulousain : Un Siècle de Rugby en Rouge et Noir
Bruno Fabioux - Henri Rozès - Jacques Verdier
Midi Olympique Editions
(216 p - in French !)
For sale at Amazon.fr here

(larger pic here / credit photo FAREM)

(*) you're all welcome to share your rugby memorabilia here ! just drop me a mail: fhumbert (at) gmail (dot) com...

Technorati Tags: rugby, print, jaureguy, stade toulousain