1936 FIRA Tournament

A rugby union tournament was held in May 1936, three months prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Rugby union had been an official Olympic sport in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924, but was dropped from the Olympic program after the 1924 Paris Games. The 1936 tournament is not mentioned in the official report of the organising committee of the Berlin Games, and has never been given the status of an official demonstration sport for those Games.

1936 FIRA Tournament
Date	14–17 May 1936
Countries	France Germany Italy Romania
Tournament statistics
Champions	France
Matches played	4
(Next) 1937 →

Four teams competed in the 1936 tournament, which was considered one of the "best organized and most international rugby tournaments to date". France defeated Germany in the final.

	Semi-finals				Final
	14 May
	France	25
					17 May
	Romania	5
					France	19
					Germany	14
	Germany	19
	Italy	8
					Third place
					Italy	8
					Romania	7

Teams

French players

Forwards : Francis Daguerre (Biarritz Olympique), André Goyard (Lyon OU), André Rochon (AS Montferrand), Étienne Ithurra (Biarritz Olympique), M. Laurent (FC Auch), François Raynal (USA Perpignan), Louis Dupont (Racing club de France), Lucien Cognet (AS Montferrand).

Backs : Pierre Thiers (AS Montferrand), Georges Libaros (Stadoceste Tarbais), Maurice Celhay (Aviron Bayonnais), Joseph Desclaux (c) (USA Perpignan), Jean Coderc (Racing club chalonnais), Pierre Geschwind (Racing club de France), Maurice Savy (AS Montferrand).

Substitutes : R. Lombarteix (AS Montferrand), Prud'homme (Lyon olympique universitaire), R. Arotca (Aviron Bayonnais), J. Dorot (Racing club de France), J. Blond (Stade Français), J. Fau (Union sportive carcassonnaise XV), F. Raynaud (Union sportive carcassonnaise XV), F. Sahuc (Stade Toulousain), M. Capendeguy (Saint-Jean-de-Luz olympique rugby).

Managers : René Crabos, Jean Semmartin and Lanusse.

German players

Forwards : M. Schroers (DRC Hannover), K. Metzger (SC Frankfurt 1880), E. Derleth (Frankfurt TV 60), Erwin Thiesies (Tennis Borussia Berlin), H. Kocher (RG Heidelberg), A. Koch (SV Odin Hannover), W. Pfisterer (RG Heidelberg), O. Oppermann (FV 1897 Linden).

Backs : K. Loos (Heidelberger RK), H. Hanning (Rasenspiele Hannover), K. Hübsch (Heidelberger RK), H. Schwanenberg (c) (DSV 78 Hannover), W. Zichlinski (FV 1897 Linden), W. Dünnhaupt (SV Odin Hannover), G. Isenberg (DSV 78 Hannover).

Substitutes : A. Aue, W. Roth, F. Bukowski.

Manager : ?.

Italian players

Forwards : Tommaso Fattori (Rugby Roma Olimpic), S. Bonfante (CUS Torino Rugby), G. Zoffoli (Rugby Roma Olimpic), A. Albonico (CUS Torino Rugby), Vincenzo Bertolotto (CUS Torino Rugby), G. Visentin (Amatori Rugby Milano), I. Aloisio (Amatori Rugby Milan), A. Re-Garbagnati (Amatori Rugby Milano).

Backs : M. Campagna (c) (Amatori Rugby Milan), G. Piana (CUS Torino Rugby), R. Maffioli (Amatori Rugby Milano), F. Vinci III (Rugby Roma Olimpic), G. Rizzoli (Rugby Bologna 1928), A. Cazzini (Amatori Rugby Milano), R. Centinari (Amatori Rugby Milano).

Substitutes : O. Maestri (Amatori Rugby Milano), E. Sgorbati (Amatori Rugby Milano), Vigliana (CUS Torino Rugby), Ardissone (CUS Torino Rugby), Pinardi (CUS Torino Rugby).

Manager : Michel Boucheron.

Romanian players

Forwards : I. Tarabega, G. Fantaneanu, S. Ionescu, S. Barsan, S. Burlescu, G. Ionescu, E. Marculescu, C. Beju.

Backs : A. Marasescu, N. Crissoveloni (c), A. Damian, I. Popa, C. Grigorescu, I. Irimia, C. Dinescu.

Substitutes : A. Matescu, Nicolescu, Epure, Craciunescu, Tudor, E. Sfetescu, M. Slobozeanu, Anastasiade, Florea.

Manager : ?.

References

• Buchanan, Ian (Spring 1997). "Rugby Football at the Olympic Games" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History. 5 (1). International Society of Olympic Historians: 12–14. ISSN 1085-5165. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
• Laget, Serge (October–November 1991). "Rugby: Olympic Tackles and Scrums" (PDF). Olympic Review (288/289). International Olympic Committee: 510–513. ISSN 0377-192X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
• "Olympic Sports of the Past". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
• Diem, Carl (1937). XIth Olympic Games, Berlin 1936 Official Report (PDF). Berlin: Wilhelm Limpert. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
• (de) Hermann Meister, "Deutsche Rugby-Zeitung", dans Deutsche Rugby-Zeitung, vol. 17, n° 20, 22 mai 1936.
• (fr) Lucien Dubech, "Rugby continental", dans L'Auto, 37e année, n° 12.934, 15 mai 1936.
• (fr) Pierre Vitalien, "Le Rugby aux Jeux Olympiques", Sérignan-du-Comtat, Imprimerie Technicouleurs, octobre 2007. ISBN 978-2-9520549-2-8.
• (ro) Web site : https://web.archive.org/web/20101110150826/http://dropgol.ro/2010/10/26/istoric-echipa-nationala-1934-1937/.
• (it) Benedetto Pasqua and Mirio Da Roit, Cent'anni di rugby a Torino, Turin, Ananke, mai 2011, broché, 247 p. ISBN 978-88-7325-375-4.

External links

1. FIRA Trophy, France – Germany [1]
2. FIRA Trophy, Italy – Romania [2]
3. FIRA Trophy, France – Romania [3]
4. FIRA Trophy, Germany – Italy [4]