Jean Desclaux
Encyclopedia
Jean Desclaux 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 represented France A eight times.
As coach he managed US Dax from 1959 to 1973 winning two French Cups and joining the French Championship's final four times.
In 1973 Desclaux was appointed manager of the French national team
, which he led to the victory in two Six Nations Championships, in 1973
and in 1977
(the latter achieving the Grand Slam).
Another achievement was the victory in Auckland
the 14 July 1979, the first ever against the All Blacks
on their home field.
Once he got back to the US Dax
in 1980 he went on coaching that club until 1994, winning the French Cup again in 1982.
After definitive retirement he was appointed President of US Dax.
He died in Dax
the 24 March 2006 after a long illness.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and coach who played for US Dax
US Dax
Union Sportive Dacquoise, also known as US Dax, is a French rugby union club currently playing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system....
as flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
.
Born in 1922 in Dax
Dax
Dax may refer to:In French geography:* Arrondissement of Dax, an arrondissement of the Landes département of France* Town of Dax, Landes, FranceIn Star Trek:...
, he played and coached club rugby for US Dax
US Dax
Union Sportive Dacquoise, also known as US Dax, is a French rugby union club currently playing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system....
only; as a player he served the club from 1947 to 1959 and represented France A eight times.
As coach he managed US Dax from 1959 to 1973 winning two French Cups and joining the French Championship's final four times.
In 1973 Desclaux was appointed manager of the French national team
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, which he led to the victory in two Six Nations Championships, in 1973
1973 Five Nations Championship
The 1973 Five Nations Championship was the forty-fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the seventy-ninth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
and in 1977
1977 Five Nations Championship
The 1977 Five Nations Championship was the forty-eighth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the eighty-third series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played...
(the latter achieving the Grand Slam).
Another achievement was the victory in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
the 14 July 1979, the first ever against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
on their home field.
Once he got back to the US Dax
US Dax
Union Sportive Dacquoise, also known as US Dax, is a French rugby union club currently playing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system....
in 1980 he went on coaching that club until 1994, winning the French Cup again in 1982.
After definitive retirement he was appointed President of US Dax.
He died in Dax
Dax
Dax may refer to:In French geography:* Arrondissement of Dax, an arrondissement of the Landes département of France* Town of Dax, Landes, FranceIn Star Trek:...
the 24 March 2006 after a long illness.
External links
- Desclaux mourned by French rugby, BBC.co.uk, 24 March 2006