Jump to content

Why a rooster?


Recommended Posts


It's all to do with a gentleman called Paul Barriere. 

Barriere was a union player before the Second World World and during the war fought for the French resistance against Vichy France during which time he met individuals from the French RL federation.

After the war he got involved in re-establishing RL in France, being elected the vice president and then president of the French Rugby League federation. During the late 1940s and early 50s he was the main driving force behind the creation of the International Rugby League Board and successfully pushing for the creation of the world cup. 

The trophy is called the Paul Barriere Trophy as a tribute to this great man and the Rooster stands on top of the world which is on top of the trophy as a tribute to the work done by the French federation to create the original, and greatest, Rugby World Cup. 

Thank you. *Bows*. 

  • Like 6
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

and the trophy went missing for about 30 years and was found in a back ally

It was stolen in 1970 when it was on display in Bradford. Thing was it wasn't even the trophy being contested for that year because due to tournament sponsorship it had been decided that a different trophy named after the main sponsor would be competed for at each world cup starting with the '70 edition so the trophy was just put on display as more of a museum piece than anything. 

It was found in a rubbish dump round the back of the Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club in 1990. The bloke who found it though didn't have a clue what it was and made some enquiries with local sports clubs to try to find the owner but got nowhere with his search so he handed it into the police but it was given back to him because it wasn't claimed and I believe he ended up giving it to his local gym or something like that. NZ international Gary Mercer attended the gym and when he saw it he made some enquiries of his own eventually leading to a RL historian (I forget who) identifying it which finally led to it being given back to the RFL. 

Fascinating story! 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, bobbruce said:

Did Bradford and Bingley rugby club ever explain how they got it. 

Well I don't think they actually had anything to do with it, it was just found in a load of flytipping or something in a ditch round the back of the rugby club. If it's the rugby club I think it is then there are paths and trails down the side of the river next to the club and it was down one of these paths that a load of rubbish had been dumped and it was amongst it all. Something like that. 

Edit. Though having said that, if it was dumped round the back of a rugby club it might suggest someone associated with that club dumped it because you'd think they'd know what it was being interested in rugby. There you go, we've solved it, the chairman of Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club in the 70s nicked it! In truth no one has a clue where it was for those 20 years. 

Edited by The Hallucinating Goose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 24/07/2022 at 21:25, Henson Park Old Firm said:

First world cup was sponsored by KFC

Do you know that Colonel Sanders retired from the military a poor man, and that it was only later in life when he invented his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, that he became rich and famous? There you go.

“There is perhaps no better a demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.”   Carl Sagan

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.