1949 France rugby union tour of Argentina

The 1949 France rugby union tour of Argentina was a series of rugby union matches played by the France national team in Argentina. It was the first official visit of a European team in South America,^[1] so Argentina had only played 13 matches against the British Lions during their tours of 1927 and 1936, the Junior Springboks in 1932, the Oxford and Cambridge universities in 1948 (all of them in Argentina)^[2], and Chile (being the first matches as visitor, playing two games in Valparaíso in 1936, with two victories for Argentina).^[3]

Former Club Universitario de Buenos Aires player Frank K. Chevallier Boutell, then treasurer of the Argentine Rugby Union, was the main ideologue of the France tour, organising a fundraiser to secure a visit from the team, which would be the first tour a top-level international team to Argentina. Chevallier Boutell first traveled to France to arrange the invitation and then took charge of the campaign to raise the necessary funds, as the Union lacked the required resources.^[4] Some local clubs also helped the initiative, Hindú Club gave its training field in Don Torcuato while Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires (mostly known as "GEBA") gave its stadium, Estadio GEBA, for the matches held in Buenos Aires.^[5] The French community in Argentina gave their strong support to the initiative, buying half of the tickets on sale in advance.^[4][2]

Boutell also made the arrangements to get loans from the Banco de Londres and Banco de América del Sud. The tour was not only a landmark for Argentine rugby but a financial success so the Union totalised revenues for m$n 72,308,69, an amount higher than ever before.^[4]

Between the two test match was played an exhibition match between two mixed teams both formed of Argentinian and French Team. The "Blancos" (White) won against "Colorados" (Red) (24–14). Many referee were British people who lived in Argentina.

France won the nine matches played.^[2]

• Manager: R. Crabos
• Assistant manager: A. Jauréguy
• Captain: G. Basquet

Complete list of matches played by France in Argentina:^[6]

  Test matches

Notes

Provincia: R. del Molino Torres, E. Caffarone, A. Dones, A. Palma, L. Ehrman, R. Giles, G. Ehrman, N_ Tompkins, M. Sarandón, R. Allen, E. Domínguez, A. Castelnuovo, J. Petrone, C. Swain, R. Follet.
France: N. Baudry, M. Pomathios, P. Dizabo, J. Lassegue, G. Dufau, Y. Bergougnan, Prat, G. Basquet, J. Matheu, J. Soro, Al. Moga, L. Caron, M. Jol, E. Buzy.

CASI–SIC: R. del Molino Torres, R. Gil, J. M. Belgrano, F. Guastavino, A. Arana, R. Ochoa, M. de las Carreras, M. Villalonga, L. Allen, M. Sarandón, H, Conti, J. Morganti, C. Rolón, C. Taccioli, C. Orti.
France: N. Baudry, M. Pomathios, F. Dizabo, F. Desclaux, R. Geneste, M. Terreau, P. Lasaosa, Prat, A. Moga, R. Lacrampe, R. Soro, Al. Moga, L. Caron, L. Martín, P. Aristouy.

Club Fundadores: E. Moore, W. Chiswell, J. Hardie, W. Mc Minn, R. Gilderdale, P. Macadam, J. Pow, D. Hughes, A. Phillips, E. Lucotti, A. Bori, G. Daw, G. Bridger, G. Hardie, E. Stocks.
France: N. Baudry; M. Pomathios, F. Desclaux, R. Geneste; J. Lassegue, "M. Terreau, Y. Bergougnan, R. Lacrampe, G. Basquet, J. Matheu, R. Soro, Al. Moga, E. Buzy, M. Jol, L. Caron.

La Plata: P. Garese, M. Morón, C. A. Mercader, R. Ferrando, R. Méndez, J. Ocampo, H. Dutil, L. Saraví, E. Weber, R. Arce, M. Galván, R. Gitard, R. Gorostiaga, H. Nocetti, P. Oppici.
France: N. Baudry, R. Geneste, H. Dutrain, M. Terreau, J. Lassegue, G. Dufau, P. Lasaosa, J. Matheu, An. Moga, R. Lacrampe, Al. Moga, R. Soro, P. Aristouy, L. Martin, E. Buzy.

Pucará: G. Niveiro, P. Bereciartúa, A. Palma, J. C. de Pablo, L. Ehrman, R. E. Giles, G. Ehrman, H. de Pablo, D. Bereciartúa, E. Domínguez, A. Fernández, A. Barnadas, L. Carratelli, E. Dacharry, J. C. Petrone. |line-up2=France: F. Desclaux, J. Lassegue, H. Dutrain, P. Dizabo, R. Geneste, M. Terreau, Y. Bergougnan, J. Matheu, G. Basquet, G. Dufau, Al. Moga, R. Soro, E. Buzy, M. Jol, L. Caron.

Capital: J. Genoud, 'W. Chiswell, J. Hardie, W. Mc Minn, R. Gilderdale, P. Macadam, C. Benítez Cruz, D. Hughes, A. Phillips, B. Grigolon, L. Maurette, A. Bori, C. Peterson, E. Verzoletto, G. Hardie.
France: : N. Baudry, H. Dutrain, M. Terreau, F. Desclaux, J. Lassegue, G. Dufau, Y. Bergougnan, Prat, J. Matheu, R. Soro, Al. Moga, L. Caron, M. Jol, E. Buzy.

Estudiantes (P): M. Avellaneda, R. Castello, F. Luján, O. Gomes, F. Rodríguez Gurruchaga, F. García, F. Torné, M. Benavente, F. Fonseca, C. Ferrer, R. Caino, R. Arcioni, F. Borches, C. Rabuffetti, D. Kaufman.
France: : F. Desclaux, R. Geneste, M Terreau, H. Dutrain, J. Lassegue, N. Baudry, G. Dufau, Prat, An. Moga, R. Lacrampe, Al. Moga, R. Soro, L. Caron, J. Matheu, P. Aristouy.

An Exhibition match was played between the two test match. Two teams were arranged, both with some French and Argentinian players. The "Blancos" ("Whites"), won against "Colorados" ("Coloreds")

Blancos J. Prat, H. Dutrain, R. Geneste, F: Desclaux; M. Pomathios, G. Dufau, P. Lasaosa, H. Caño (Curu¬paytí), L. Allen (C.A.S.I.), B. Grigolon (Hindú), W. Beckwith (San Martín), H. Conti (S.I.C.), A. Guyot (C.A.S.I.), E. Dacharry (Pucará), C. Peterson (Bs. As.).
Colorados: : M. Avellaneda (Estudiantes), R. Gilder¬dale (Bs. As.), E. Fernández del Casol (C.U.B.A.), A. Jones (Old G's), C. Di Pasquo (Curupaytí), M. Fellner (C.U.B.A.), C. Benítez Cruz (C.U.B.A.), R. Lacrampe, An. Moga, J. Matheu, R. Soro, Al. Moga, E. Buzy, R. Martin, P. Aristouy.