By the editorial staff
Published 1 hour ago, Updated now
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The former iconic center of Stade Montois and the XV of France died this Monday.
Former Mont-de-Marsan center André Boniface, legend of French rugby and founding father of French flair, died Monday at the age of 89 at Bayonne hospital. Three-quarter genius center of the Blues, associated with his little brother Guy (who died prematurely in a road accident on January 1, 1968), André Boniface won four Five Nations Tournaments and won a championship title in 1963 and three Challenges Yves-du-Manoir with Stade Montois, his club of almost all time.
The Landes club gave him back a long tribute on his website. “Beyond his exploits on the field, Dédé was also recognized for his elegance and his commitment to the values of rugby. His exemplary career has inspired generations of players and enthusiasts. Furthermore, he is one of the creators of the Mons game, synonymous with movement and speed, greets Stade Montois. The disappearance of André Boniface will leave a huge void at Stade Montois Rugby and in the world of French and international rugby. His legendary performances and the respect he commanded throughout his life, both on and off the field, are proof that his legacy will live on through all our memories.”
Read alsoRugby: “He was my big brother, we all tried to copy him”, Jo Maso evokes the legacy of André Boniface
The French Rugby Federation has expressed its “deep sadness” after the disappearance of a “legend of French rugby” : “From the top of its 48 selections, French rugby today loses one of its icons, one of the creators of French Flair, an inspiration for the generations that followed.” For his part, Florian Grill, the president of the FFR, stressed that “rugby loses a giant who embodied French flair so well. With his brother Guy who left much too early before him, André Boniface wrote the history of the Stade Montois and great pages of the French team.
The National Rugby League also wanted to salute a player and a personality who “will mark French rugby for eternity. The French flair was him. In Dax, then in Mont-de-Marsan (where he also coached) for 20 years, he wandered through the defenses of all the clubs with the genius of those who have rugby in their blood. Champion of France but also four times winner of the Six Nations Tournament with the Blues, he leaves behind him an exceptional career.
Jean-Marc Lhermet, former Clermont international player who became manager of the French XV, published a tweet on“with the disappearance of André Boniface, French Rugby loses one of its most talented players. Through his grace and his aesthetics, André was a symbol of the famous “French Flair”.
Many rugby lovers also expressed their sadness after the disappearance of “Boni”, a player who had a profound impact on people’s minds. And well beyond the borders of France. “He was recognized throughout the world, Jo Maso, his successor in the French team who had become his friend, told us. The first time I went to New Zealand, people only talked to me about André Boniface.”
