SRU and FFR have created an “Auld Alliance Trophy” to be contested yearly between Scotland and France, named after “the captains of the two nations in the last matches played before the First World War – Eric Milroy (Scotland) and Marcel Burgun (France), both of whom perished in the conflict.”
I know that rugby history is not a priority for FFR, but I can only regret that no one did a quick fact checking to realize that Marcel Burgun (11 caps 1909-14) actually never ever captained France...
The PR wording about “the last matches played before the First World War” sounds also ironic to me as Scotland and France didn’t even play against each other in 1914... because SRU had refused to invite France as a consequence of the calamitous game played in Paris the previous year...
On Jan.1st 1913 Scotland defeated France 3-21 in a game which was more balanced and disputed than the score (1 try to 5) could let believe. After the match, an angry mob (200 to 300 people, writes Henri Desgranges in L’Auto) invaded the Parc des Princes and physically threatened English referee James Baxter, who could eventually escape the crowd being protected by USFSA officials and the mounted riot police!
Needless to say that both RFU and SRU were quite upset after these incidents, while some voices were questioning the interest of inviting France in the Tournament, and SRU refusing to play vs France in 1914. WW1 put a “de facto” end to this controversy... yet, I’m sure it was still in the memories when France was banned by Home Unions in 1931...
Let me also add that the game played in Paris in 1913 was the only match played by both Eric Milroy and Marcel Burgun... some cynical historians (am I??) may regret that we are now commemorating one, if not the worst exhibition of poor sportsmanship in French rugby....
But above all, let's also not forget the incredible and awful toll of First World War among this generation of sportsmen. Out of the 30 players who played this last match between France and Scotland before the War, no less than 14 will be killed in action in the following years (9 in the Scottish team!!!). They were Gaston Lane (French captain), Freddie Turner (Scottish captain), David Bain, Julien Dufau, Dave Howie, Maurice Hedembaigt, Patrick Blair, Marcel Legrain, Walter Sutherland , Roland Gordon, Walter Dickson, Cecil Abercrombie, and of course Marcel Burgun and Eric Milroy. We shall remember them.
Link to SRU press release http://www.scottishrugby.org/…/auld-alliance-trophy-unveiled
Pictures and cartoon (van Hasselt) from “Le Plein Air” dated Jan. 13 1913
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