France - Ireland 1925

Things are getting more serious at the RWC... tomorrow France will challenge Ireland, and the defeated team has 99% chances to leave the competition at pool stages.

I will attend to the game in Paris with my 8 years old son... his first rugby game ! we have the replica jersey, we have the blue-white-red make up.. we are ready !

Easy transition, indeed, to introduce this fine painting by Georges Leroux, published in L'Illustration in 1925,  showing rugby action at Colombes stadium... (larger pic here) Please note the dense crowd... the cameraman close to the players.... and the poor position of the French fullback...

Actually I have already posted this picture some time ago, but never noticed another detail : the artist signed and dated his work on Dec.31, 1924... whereas this fixture was played the day after, i.e. Jan. 1st 1925... wrong date ? or is it that the artist just painted after his imagination... ?

Thinking about Ireland... let's also share this poor but interesting picture of French captain Philippe Struxiano (Stade Toulousain) celebrating in Dublin our first victory ever against Ireland (and France fist away victory ever, as well) in April 1920... (first Tournament after WW1)



You could also read some press report (in French) here, and get a larger picture there...




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Women rugby in France, 1920s

This is rue Nationale, one of the main streets of Lille (in the north of France - map).

I have purchased this postcard for a tiny detail... There is a sign on the building on the right advertising for the next women rugby fixture... "Femina Hirondelles Paris" vs "Lille Rugby Athletic Club"...



I have been fairly surprised to discover that women rugby was then played in this Northern part of France where rugby was far from being popular... could this be that women rugby in the 20s had a greater exposure than today ?

Google doesn't know about "Lille Rugby Athletic Club"... any idea ?

I also take the opportunity to show this 1'50 video showing the girls of Cercle Femina Paris - the leading omnisports women club in Paris after WW1 - playing rugby in 1928 (rugby starts after 30s). Low quality, but interesting document... credit to BritishPathé : I should probably contact them and ask to support this blog by providing better quality footages...

Is this post related to the RWC ? ... errr, no ! but you could check that older post insted, about Women RWC last year...

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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 [e-mail]

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

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

You're all welcome !

More at www.rugby-pioneers.com