1954 France rugby union tour of Argentina and Chile

1954 France rugby union tour of Argentina and Chile
Summary	P W D L
Total	12 12 00 00
Test match	02 02 00 00
Opponent	P W D L
Argentina	2 2 0 0

The 1954 France rugby union tour of Argentina and Chile was a series of matches of the France national team during their tour to Argentina and Chile in 1954. It was the second visit of a French side to Argentina after the 1949 tour over the country.

French touring party arrived in Buenos Aires and then moved to Hindú Club, where the team would reside during their stay in Argentina. All the games in Argentina were played at Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires, the main venue for rugby games in those years. ^[1]

Touring party

• René Crabos (manager)
• Marcel Laurent (vice-manager)
• Paul Labadie
• Jean Bichindaritz
• René Biénès (capt.)
• Philibert Capitani
• Bernard Chevallier
• Yves Duffaut
• Michel Celaya
• Jean Barthe
• Pierre Danos
• Abdrè Haget
• Andrè Morel
• Gerard Murillo
• Roger Martine
• Lucien Roge
• Michel Vannier
• Andrè Boniface
• Jacques Meynard
• Robert Bassauri
• Jacques Barbe
• Andre Berilhe
• Henrie Lazies
• Jean Benetiere

Match summary

Complete list of matches played by France in Argentina ^[1] and Chile:

• All the matches played in Estadio GEBA, Buenos Aires
•   Test matches

President of Argentina Juan Perón greeting players of Argentina before the test

France v. Argentina test as covered by local sports magazine El Gráfico

#	Date	Rival	Score
1	8 Aug	Belgrano A.C.	29–14
2	12 Aug	Combinado A	32–3
3	15 Aug	Provincia [note 1]	16–3
4	17 Aug	C.A. San Isidro	6–0
5	22 Aug	Capital [note 2]	15–6
6	26 Aug	Combinado Eva Perón [note 3]	22–0
7	29 Aug	Argentina	22–8
8	2 Sep	Provincia [note 1]	3–0
9	5 Sep	Pucará	12–3
10	9 Sep	Capital [note 2]	8–3
11	12 Sep	Argentina	30–3
12	18 Sep	Chile	34–3

Notes

1. Combined team formed by clubs of Buenos Aires Province
2. Combined team formed by teams of "Capital Federal"
3. Between 1952 and 1995, the city of La Plata was called "Eva Perón". ^[2]

Balance

Pl	W	D	L	PS	PC
12	12	0	0	229	46

Match details

Legend

ADF= Deportiva Francesa, BCR=Buenos Aires C.R.C., BAC=Belgrano A.C., CASI=C.A. San Isidro, CP=Pucará, EB=La Plata, ^{[note 1]} H= Hindú, LM=Los Matreros, LT=Los Tilos, OG= (Old Georgian), ORC= Olivos, OS= Obras Sanitarias, SIC=San Isidro Club

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8 August 1954

Belgrano A.C.	14–29	France
Try: Gahan Con: Elía Pen: Elía (2) Drop: Bazán		Try: Duffaut, Celaya Murillo, Bienés Rogé (2) Con: Vannier Pen: Vannier (2) Drop: Haget

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: Eduardo Fornés (Argentina)

Belgrano A.C.: O.Elía; L.Camardón, R.Bazán, E.Gahan, C.Lennon; M.Hughes, P.Felisari; R.Pineo, E.Arntsen (capt.), E.Moore; A.Dillon, A.Parola; E.Hirsch; M.Caldwell J.Lescano.
France: M.Vannier; G.Murillo, R.Martine, A.Boniface, L.Rogé; A.Haget, P.Danos, Y.Duffaut, M.Celaya, J.Barthe; B.Chevallier, P.Capitani; R.Bienés (capt.), P.Labadie, J.Bichindaritz.

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12 August 1954

Combinado A	3–32	France
Pen: I.Comas		Try: Rogé (3), Barthe Duffau, Bienés Haget Con: Vannier (4) Pen: Vannier

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: R.Molteni (Argentina)

Combinado A: E.Niño (CASI); A.Caride (CASI), J.Guidi (ADF), E.Dramis (OS), C.Lennon (BAC); I.Comas (H), E.Holmgren (ORC); D.Cowan (BCR – capt.), A.Bublath (O.S.),R.Collie (OG); O.Martínez ((ADF), C.Brondsted (ORC); R.Gorostiaga (LT), V.Christianson ((ADF), R.Ferrari (LM).
France: M.Vannier; L.Rogé, R.Martine, R.Bassauri, A.Boniface; A.Haget, P.Danos; Y.Duffaut, M.Celaya, J.Barthe; B.Chevallier, P.Capitani; R.Bienés (capt.), J.Bénétiére, J.Bichindaritz.

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15 August 1954

Provincia	3–16	France
Pen: Frigerio		Try: Boniface, Celaya Murillo Con: Vannier (2) Pen: Vannier

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: J.Gutiérrez (Argentina)

Provincia: R.Frigerio (CP); L.Caffarone (ORC RC), A.Palma (CP), A.Salinas (ORC), O.Bernacchi (CP); J.Guidi ADF G.Ehrman (capt. – CP); J.Lourés (CP), M.Sarandón (SIC), R.Grosse (ORC); E.Domínguez (CP), O.Martínez ADF; C.Travaglini (CASI), H.Lambruschini (ORC), R.Follet (OG).
France: M.Vannier; G.Murillo, R.Martine, R.Bassauri, A.Boniface; A.Haget, P.Danos, Y.Duffaut, M.Celaya, J.Barthe; P.Capitani, B.'Chevallier; R.Bienés (capt.), J.Bénétiére, J.Bichindaritz.

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17 August 1954

C.A. San Isidro	0–6	France
		Try: Bienés Pen: Meynard

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: J.Bony de Cabaret (Argentina)

C.A.S.I.: E.Niño; A.Caride, J.Berro García, P.Guastavino, C.Ramallo; J.M.Belgrano (capt.), F.Varela; L.Bavio, R.Aldao; R.Ochoa, W.Aniz, E.Pasman; C.Travaglini, M.Iraola, R.Lagarde.
France: R.Bassauri; L.Rogé, J.Murillo, J.Meynard, A.Boniface; A.Haget, J.Barbe, R.Bienés (capt.), M.Celaya, J.Barthe; B.Chevallier, P.Capitani; A.Berilhes, J.Bénétiére, H.Lazies.

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22 August 1954

Capital	6–15	France
Try: Santiago Pen: Comotto		Try: Chevallier, Bienés Danos Con: Vannier (3)

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: Eric Kember (Argentina)

Capital: J.Comotto (H); J.Santiago (H), M.Hardy (AC), R.Bazan (BAC), C.Lennon (BAC), M.Hughes (BAC), P.Felisari (BAC); M.Aspiroz (OS), E.Arntsen (BAC), R.Pineo (BAC); B.Yustini (H), J.Repossi (OS); B.Grigolón (H), M.Caldwell (BAC), E.Hirsch (BAC).
France: M.Vannier; L.Rogé, R.Martine, A.Boniface, G, Muillo; R.Bassauri, P.Danos; J.Barthe, M.Celaya, Y.Duffaut; P.Capitani, B.Chevallier; R.Bienés, P.Labadie, J.Bichindaritz.

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26 August 1954

Combinado Eva Perón	0–22	France
		Try: Rogó, Celaya Berilhe, Barthe Con: Vannier (2) Pen: Vannier (2)

La Plata Referee: J.Gutiérrez (Argentina)

Eva Perón: C.Zaparat EB); J.Balbín (LT), C Mercader EB), A.Fernández EB), E.Vergara (LT); J.Ocampo (LT), J.Jáuregui EB); 1.Lembo EB), L.Nápoli EB), M.Morón (LT); C.Olivera EB), E.Gitard (LT); R.Gorostiaga (capt. – LT), A.Dentone EB), R.Giner EB).
France: M.Vannier; L.Rogó; R.Martine, R.Bassauri, A.Boniface; A.Haget, P.Danos; J.Barthe, M.Celaya (capt.), Y.Duffaut; P.Capitani, B.Chevallier; A.Barilhe, P.Labadie, J.Bichindaritz.

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First test

29 August 1954

Argentina	8–22	France
Try: Hugghes Con: Ehrman Pen: Bernacchi		Try: Murillo Bienés (2) Con: Vannier (2) Pen: Vannier (2) Drop: Danos

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Attendance: 30,000 [5] Referee: E.Fornés (Argentina)

Team details

Argentina France Argentina: R.Frigerio (CP); E.Caffarone (ORC), A.Palma (CP), E.Gahan (BAC), O.Bernacchi (CP); M.Hughes (BAC), G.Ehrman (capt. – CP); M.Sarandón (SIC), R.Grosse (ORC), R.Pineo (BAC); B.Yustini (H), E.Domínguez (CP); E.Hirsch (BAC), V.Christianson ADF, B.Grigolón (H). France: M.Vannier; A.Boniface, G.Murillo, I.Meynard, L.Rogé; R.Bassauri, P.Danos; J.Barthe, M.Celaya, Y.Duffaut; P.Capitani, B.Chevallier; R.Bienés (capt.), I.Bénétiére, J.Bichindaritz.

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2 September 1954

Provincia	0–3	France
		Pen: Bienés

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: R. Molteni (Argentina)

Provincia: E.Niño (CASI); E.Caffarone (ORC), A.Salinas (ORC), A.Palma (CP), A.Caride (CASI); J.Guidi ADF, G.Ehman (capt.-CP); M.Sarandón (SIC), R.Grosse (ORC), L.Bavio (CASI); C.Brondstedt (ORC), O Martínez ADF; R.Follet (OG), V.Christianson ADF, C.Travaglini (CASI).
France: M.Vannier; A.Boniface, G.Murillo, J.Meynard, L.Rogé; R.Bassauri, P.Danos; J.Barthe, H.Lazies, Y.Duffaut; P.Capitani, B.Chevallier; R.Bienés (capt.), J.Bénétiére, J.Bichidaritz.

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5 September 1954

Pucará	3–12	France
Pen: Frigerio		Try: Bienés Pen: Vannier (2) Drop: Vannier

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: J.Gutiérrez (Argentina)

Pucará: R.Frigerio; H.Poulet, L.Trotta, A.Palma, O.Bernacchi; H.Laborde, G.Ehrman, E.Bonfante, C.Olavarría, J.Lourés; R.Cernadas; E.Domínguez; J.Culotta, E.Dacharry; F.Ibáñez.
France: M.Vannier; A.Boniface, R.Bassauri, G.Murillo, L.Rogé; R.Martine, P.Danos; J.Barthe, M.Celaya, Y.Duffaut; P.Capitani, A.Berilhe; R.Bienés, J.Bénétiére, J.Bichindaritz.

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9 September 1954

Capital	3–8	France
Try: Yustini		Try: Bienés, Lazies Con: Vannier

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: R.Moltini (Argentina)

Capital: O.Elía (BAC); J.Santiago (capt.-H), R.Bazán (BAC), E.Gahan (BAC), C.Lennon (BAC); M.Hughes (BAC), P.Felisari (BAC); E.Moore (BAC), E.Arntsen (BAC) M.Aspiroz (OS); J.Repossi (OS), B.Yustini (H); B.Grigolón (H), M.Caldwell (BAC), E.Hirsch (BAC).
France: M.Vannier; L.Rogé, A.Boniface, R.Bassauri, A.Morel; R.Martine, J.Barbe; J.Barthe, M.Celaya, A.Berilhe; P.Capitani, H.Lazies; R.Bienés (capt.), J.Bénétiére, J.Bichndaritz

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Second test

12 September 1954

Argentina	3–30	France
Try: Salinas		Try: Boniface (2),Bienés Rogé, Morel Con: Vannier (3) Pen: Vannier Drop: Vannier (2)

Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires Referee: E.Fornés (Argentina)

Team details

Argentina France Argentina: O.Elía (BAC); E.Caffarone (ORC), A.Palma (CP), E.Gahan (BAC), A.Salinas (ORC); M.Hughes (BAC), G.Ehrman (capt-CP); J.Lourés (CP) R.Grosse (ORC), L.Bavio (CASI); E.Domínguez (CP), O.Martínez ADF; B.Grigolón (H), V.Christianson ADF, R.Follet (OG). France: M.Vannier; L.Rogé, A.Boniface, R.Martine, A.Morel; A.Haget, P.Danos; Y.Duffaut, M.Celaya, J.Barthe; H.Lazies, P.Capitani; J.Bichindaritz, P.Labadie, R.Bienés (capt.).

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18 September 1954

Chile	3–34	France

(Prince of Wales C.C.), Santiago

Chile: n/i France: M.Vannier; A.Morel, A.Boniface, R.Basauri, J.Meynard; J.Barbe, P.Danos; H.Lazies, M.Celaya, J.Barthe; B.Chevallier, P.Capitani; A.Berilhe, P.Labadie, R.Bienés (capt.) ^[6] |}

Notes

1. La Plata R.C. had changed its name to "El Bosque Rugby Club" by political reasons in 1953. The club returned to its original name in 1956. ^{[3] [4]}

References

1. Memoria y Balance 1954 on UAR website
2. Cuando La Plata se llamó Eva Perón by Ulises Rodríguez on InfoNews, 26 Jul 2012
3. Historia Archived 25 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine on La Plata RC website
4. La Plata, un club especial by Gustavo Veiga, Página/12, 9 May 2004
5. France Tour – Buenos Aires, 29 August 1954 Argentina (0) 8 - 22 (16) France (FT)] on ESPN Scrum
6. Chile 3 - 34 France XV (FT) on ESPN Scrum