Édouard Ponsinet
Encyclopedia
Édouard PonsinetÉdouard Ponsinet (born 1923 in Carcassonne
, France
died October 22, 2006 in Carcassonne, France) was a French rugby league
player for AS Carcassonne
and club Lézignan
in the French rugby league championship
competition. He also represented the France national rugby league team
on eighteen occasions; his position of choice was in the second row.
Ponsinet originally had his background in athletics
and at the age of eighteen was a member of both the French junior triathlon
and sprinting teams; a year later he was crowned French junior triathlon champion, and ran a one hundred metre time of 11.3 seconds.
In early 1940 Édouard was courted by French rugby league club AS Carcassonne
but before he was able to play a competition game for the club the new vichy government
outlawed rugby league
forcing all clubs to play rugby union
or cease to exist. AS Carcassonne become ACE Carcassonne for a short time and played rugby union over the next three years, until the Vichy government was taken out of power and the Carcassonne club reverted back to rugby league.
Over the next ten years with AS Carcassonne Ponsinet became a vital member of the clubs first team helping them to achieve five French rugby league championship
titles and four Lord Derby Cup
s. During these golden years with Carcassonne Ponsinet cemented his place in the French national side
forming a lethal combination with fellow second row forward Élie Brousse
. Over these years in French colours on the international scene, Édouard became known as one of the premier forwards in the game, as in his strong performances against the Australians
during their 1951 tour to Oceania
.
He retired from the professional game at the end of the 1952 season, before accepting a job as a coach at the Lézignan
club the following year.
Ponsinet died on October 22, 2006 at the age of eighty-three.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
died October 22, 2006 in Carcassonne, France) was a French rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player for AS Carcassonne
AS Carcassonne
AS Carcassonne are a professional rugby league football club based in Carcassonne in the south of France. They play in the French rugby league championship and are one of the most successful clubs in French rugby league, having won a total of ten French Championship titles and eleven Lord Derby Cups...
and club Lézignan
Lézignan Sangliers
Football Club de Lézignan are a professional rugby league football club based in Lézignan-Corbières in the départment of Aude in the south of France...
in the French rugby league championship
French rugby league championship
The French rugby league championship has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional and professional clubs in France and Monaco since the sport was introduced to the country in the thirties....
competition. He also represented the France national rugby league team
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
on eighteen occasions; his position of choice was in the second row.
Ponsinet originally had his background in athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
and at the age of eighteen was a member of both the French junior triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
and sprinting teams; a year later he was crowned French junior triathlon champion, and ran a one hundred metre time of 11.3 seconds.
In early 1940 Édouard was courted by French rugby league club AS Carcassonne
AS Carcassonne
AS Carcassonne are a professional rugby league football club based in Carcassonne in the south of France. They play in the French rugby league championship and are one of the most successful clubs in French rugby league, having won a total of ten French Championship titles and eleven Lord Derby Cups...
but before he was able to play a competition game for the club the new vichy government
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
outlawed rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
forcing all clubs to play rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
or cease to exist. AS Carcassonne become ACE Carcassonne for a short time and played rugby union over the next three years, until the Vichy government was taken out of power and the Carcassonne club reverted back to rugby league.
Over the next ten years with AS Carcassonne Ponsinet became a vital member of the clubs first team helping them to achieve five French rugby league championship
French rugby league championship
The French rugby league championship has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional and professional clubs in France and Monaco since the sport was introduced to the country in the thirties....
titles and four Lord Derby Cup
Lord Derby Cup
The Lord Derby Cup , also known as French Rugby à XIII Cup, is the premier knock-out competition for the sport of rugby league football in France. It is open to all French rugby league clubs....
s. During these golden years with Carcassonne Ponsinet cemented his place in the French national side
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
forming a lethal combination with fellow second row forward Élie Brousse
Élie Brousse
Élie Brousse was a French rugby league player for Roanne, Marseille and Lyon Villeurbanne in the French rugby league championship competition. His position of choice was at second row forward.-External links:*...
. Over these years in French colours on the international scene, Édouard became known as one of the premier forwards in the game, as in his strong performances against the Australians
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
during their 1951 tour to Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
.
He retired from the professional game at the end of the 1952 season, before accepting a job as a coach at the Lézignan
Lézignan Sangliers
Football Club de Lézignan are a professional rugby league football club based in Lézignan-Corbières in the départment of Aude in the south of France...
club the following year.
Ponsinet died on October 22, 2006 at the age of eighty-three.