Jean Dauger ( Cambo-les-Bains, 12 November 1919 – 12 October 1999) was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer. He played as a centre. He was nicknamed ''Manech'', which is a Lower Navarre Basque translation of his given name.

Career

Dauger first started his career at 17 years, as first-choice for

Bayonne Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...

in 1936 while he was working locally at the cadastre. In 1938, he shifts to the semi-professionalism of rugby league, playing for RC Roanne XIII alongside

Robert Samatan Robert Samatan, nicknamed ''Bob la Science'' (Toulouse, 16 April 1909 - Antibes, 4 May 1986) was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer. He debuted for T.O.E.C (rugby union), 1.78m tall and weighing 76 kg at his debut, later he p ...

and Max Rousié while working for the Devernois factory, not appreciating the pseudo-amateur mores of the championship at the time. He was considered by the rugby league literature as "an attack prince" , "an exceptional back with dazzling start-up and an ultra-developed sense of game". In 1941, he returned to Bayonne as the Vichy regime and its Révolution nationale had banned rugby league. His two union international caps in 1945 for France on 1 January 1945 against Army Rugby Union (greeted by

Jacques Chaban-Delmas Jacques Chaban-Delmas (; 7 March 1915 – 10 November 2000) was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1969 to 1972. He was the Mayor of Bordeaux from 1947 to 1995 and a deputy for the Gironde ''d� ...

, who will play alongside him in the following test cap against the British Empire XV on 28 April 1945), caused a very grave crisis against other national teams, being the reason of a 8-year eclipse. His last cap was on 10 January 1953, also brought a new crisis against Scotland. He still would play for Bayonne until 1956; he is the great centre who inspired his successors such as

Maurice Prat Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and Lo ...

Roger Martine Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

and

André Boniface André Boniface (born 14 August 1934) is a former international rugby union player for France. His usual position was either on the wing or in the centres. His Test career for France, 1954 through to 1966, included 48 caps and 44 points. Boniface w ...

. He was also the spiritual son of former Agen and Roanne player

. Later, Dauger became a journalist for Paris-Presse and wrote a book dedicated to rugby: ''Histoires... de rugby (published by Calmann-Levy in 1965, redacted in 1967) with a preface written by Jean Prat, as well ''Le Rugby en dix leçons''. In 1973, he was the coach

France national rugby union team The France national rugby union team () represents France in men's international rugby union and it is administered by the French Rugby Federation. They traditionally play in blue shirts emblazoned with the national emblem of a golden rooster ...

alongside

Jean Desclaux Jean Desclaux (1922 – 24 March 2006) was a French rugby union player and coach who played for US Dax as flanker. Born in 1922 in Dax, he played and coached club rugby for US Dax only; as a player he served the club from 1947 to 1959 and represe ...

. From 3 June 2001, in his memory, Aviron Bayonnais' home stadium, Parc des Sports Saint-Léon was renamed Stade Jean Dauger. His daughter Michou married

Jean Grenet Jean Grenet (12 July 1939 – 23 February 2021) was a member of the National Assembly of France. He represented the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and was a member of the Radical Party. He was born to politician in Bayonne, Pyrénées-At ...

, mayor of Bayonne and president of Aviron; their son

François Grenet François Jean Henri Grenet (born 8 March 1975) is a French former professional footballer who played mostly as a right-back and also as a midfielder. Club career Bordeaux Grenet was born in Bordeaux. His father Jean Grenet and paternal grandfa ...

was a professional footballer with clubs including

Girondins de Bordeaux Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux (), commonly referred to as Girondins de Bordeaux ( oc, Girondins de Bordèu) or simply Bordeaux, is a French professional football club based in the city of Bordeaux in Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The ...

Rugby union career

* Aviron Bayonnais * Champion of France (1943) * Vice-Champion of France (1944)

Other

* Coupe de France finalist for the Côte Basque-Béarn representative team (on 10 April 1944).Le Midi Socialiste, 11 April 1944, p.2, col.4.

International

* International (3 caps) - (1945 and 1953 Five Nations Championship)

Rugby league career

* RC Roanne XIII * Champion of Lord Derby Cup with Roanne (1938) * Champion of France with Roanne (1939)

References

External links

Jean Dauger international rugby union statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dauger, Jean 1919 births 1999 deaths Aviron Bayonnais players Dual-code rugby internationals France international rugby union players France national rugby league team players French rugby league players French rugby union coaches French rugby union players RC Roanne XIII players Rugby league centres Rugby union centres Sportspeople from Pyrénées-Atlantiques Rugby union players from Nouvelle-Aquitaine