Joseph Crespo ( Elne, 1 January 1925 - Mably, 15 July 2011) was a French

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

and

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

player who represented

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand and 1954 World Cup.

Career

Crespo started to play rugby union for

USA Perpignan Union Sportive Arlequins Perpignanais, also referred to as USA Perpignan or Perpignan, is a French professional rugby union club founded in 1933 and based in Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. They compete in the Top 14, Franc ...

, with which he became 1943-44 French Rugby Union Championship French Champion in 1944. In the same year, he returned to play rugby league, which was forbidden by the

Vichy regime Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its ter ...

between 1941 and 1944, joining

RC Roanne XIII Racing Club de Roanne XIII are a French Rugby league club based in Roanne, Loire in the Rhône-Alpes region. The club plays in the Rhône-Alpes League of the French National Division 2. History Racing Club de Roanne XIII were one of the pione ...

and later for

Lyon Villeurbanne XIII Lyon Villeurbanne XIII are a semi-professional rugby league club from the town of Lyon, Rhône-Alpes in France. Formed in 1934 they are one of the oldest clubs in France. During the 1950s they won both the league and cup. They currently play in ...

. He earned 26 caps for

, between 1948 and 1954, taking part to the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand and the 1954 World Cup. During his active life, he worked as sales rep for home improvement articles.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crespo, Joseph 1925 births 2011 deaths France national rugby league team players French rugby league players Lyon Villeurbanne XIII players RC Roanne XIII players Rugby league centres Rugby league halfbacks Sportspeople from Pyrénées-Orientales French rugby union players USA Perpignan players