Rugby World Cup 2023. Origins, logo, shirt, list of awards… Five things you should know about the France national team

First selection for French rugby unionIntroduced in France in 1872 by English merchants, it was formed in 1893 under the auspices of the Union des Sports Sociétés Français (USFSA) to compete in England with the Civil Service Sports Club team. It is made up exclusively of players from two Parisian clubs, Racing Club de France and Stade Français. We had to wait until January 1, 1906 to see the first official match of the French XV, against… New Zealand! A selection of the country’s best players led by captain Henri Amand faced the Originals (the future All Blacks) then on a European tour. This match was played in Paris, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in front of 3,000 spectators, and was refereed by Louis Didier, and ended with a victory for the New Zealanders by a score of 38 to 81. Since 1919, the French Federation of Rugby (FFR) has held the championship title. UFSA relay.

Their blue shirt was initially white

The first shirt of the French national team is not blue and does not yet bear the rooster sign, but it is white and bears two rings like the coat of arms, one red and the other blue, all in the colors of the French flag. This is the emblem of the American Football Association, from which the national rugby team emerges, like most French national sports teams, and which embodies the five Olympic rings that Pierre de Coubertin would design in 1913. At the beginning of the 20th century, the 15th emblem was designed The French chose to wear a shirt Royal blue, white shorts and red socks, earning the players the historical nickname “Tricolores”, and then the nickname “Blues”.

The Gallic Rooster has been their logo (almost) forever

The logo proudly displayed by the French rugby union team in 1911, long mocked by its opponents, was imposed by Marcel Communeux, then captain of the team, after the French’s first victory over Scotland. But why rooster? The Gallinaceae family has symbolized France since the Romans in ancient times. At that time, the same word “gallus” was used to refer to “rooster” and “gaul”. Its identification continued after that, without displeasing the French because the rooster is a proud, fighting and sometimes aggressive animal. In rugby, that’s good!

> Relive memories of past Rugby World Cups with the Sud Ouest archives

They never won the World Cup

Will 2023 be their year? The Blues have never won the Oval World Cup in a competition that has existed since 1987. They have reached the quarter-finals three times (in 1991, 2015 and 2019), twice in the semi-finals (2003 and 2007) and twice in the final (1987 and 2011) and finished third in 1995.

The rivalry with New Zealand is historic