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| Date of birth | 21 April 1947 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Toulouse, France | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 166 lb (75 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Roger Bourgarel (born 21 April 1947) is a French former rugby union international.[1]
Biography[edit]
Born in Toulouse, Bourgarel was a speedy winger of Guadeloupean descent known as “La Flèche Noire”, which translates to "The Black Arrow". He played his club rugby for hometown club Stade Toulousain.[2]
Bourgarel, capped nine times by France, played both Tests against the Springboks on the 1971 tour of apartheid South Africa, after his selection had caused much political controversy.[3] The president of the French federation, Albert Ferrasse, had insisted on Bourgarel's place in the squad, a position supported by his South African counterpart Danie Craven.[4] He became the first black rugby player to be granted permission by the South African government to tour the country.[5]
Since 2020, Bourgarel has served as the mayor of the town of Prunet in Haute-Garonne.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Paroles d'Ex - Roger Bourgarel : « Nous étions toujours prêts à inventer quelque chose »". L'Équipe (in French). 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Afrique-du-Sud-Angleterre, dans la mêlée de l'intégration". La Croix (in French). 18 October 2007.
- ^ "Quand Tous Les Athlètes Du Monde Pourront Se Donner La Main..." Le Monde (in French). 28 December 1971.
- ^ "Black Left Off French Team; Protests May Undo Action". New York Times. 29 April 1971.
- ^ "Haute-Garonne : le rugbyman Roger Bourgarel, héros face à l'adversité sud-africaine, en plein apartheid". La Dépêche (in French). 13 January 2023.
- ^ "Coupe du monde de rugby : "C'est là-bas que j'ai réalisé que j'étais noir..." Roger Bourgarel a été le premier joueur de couleur à jouer en Afrique du Sud". La Dépêche (in French). 9 October 2023.