# 1954 France rugby union tour of Argentina and Chile

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.

## Touring party

* René Crabos (manager)
* Marcel Laurent (vice-manager)
* Paul Labadie
* Jean Bichindaritz
* Renè Bienes (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 and Chile:
* All the matches played in Estadio GEBA, Buenos Aires
* Test matches
| # | Date | Rival | Score |
| 1 | 8 Aug | Belgrano A.C. | 29–14 |
| 2 | 12 Aug | Combinado A | 32–3 |
| 3 | 15 Aug | Provincia | 16–3 |
| 4 | 17 Aug | C.A. San Isidro | 6–0 |
| 5 | 22 Aug | Capital | 15–6 |
| 6 | 26 Aug | Combinado Eva Perón | 22–0 |
| 7 | 29 Aug | Argentina | 22–8 |
| 8 | 2 Sep | Provincia | 3–0 |
| 9 | 5 Sep | Pucará | 12–3 |
| 10 | 9 Sep | Capital | 8–3 |
| 11 | 12 Sep | Argentina | 30–3 |
| 12 | 18 Sep | Chile | 34–3 |

### Notes

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

## 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, H= Hindú, LM=Los Matreros, LT=Los Tilos, OG= (Old Georgian), ORC= Olivos, OS= Obras Sanitarias, SIC=San Isidro Club
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.

### 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 Referee: E.Fornés (Argentina)
Team details :
| Argentina | France |
* 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.
* 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.
* 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

### 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 |
* 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.)

#### Notes

* ↑ 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.