Jacques Merquey

1950–1951: First season at Marseille and first France rugby league cap

There was considerable discussion in the press about the possibility of Jacques Merquey switching to rugby league. Studying pharmacy in Marseille and wishing to secure his professional future, J. Merquey was not indifferent to the interest shown by R.C. Marseille, backed by Paul Ricard, creator of Ricard pastis, who financed the Marseille club. As a promising centre for France's rugby union team, his departure could have been a serious blow to the rugby union authorities. J. Merquey postponed his decision until the return to training in September to give himself time to consider Marseille's offer and the prospect of another season at R.C. Toulon. Finally, in mid-September, he announced his switch to rugby league and signed for R.C. Marseille. He was one of several players to cross the divide at that time, alongside Jean Lassègue, Roger Ferrien, Armand Balent, Tresarieu and Albert Torrens. The transfer caused a sensation in the rugby world: at the same time, rugby union club Mazamet, supported by the wool industry, had made a higher counter-offer to prevent J. Merquey from leaving for rugby league. Negotiations were handled by J. Merquey's mother, since he was still a minor. Alongside established R.C. Marseille players such as Jean Dop, André Rouzaud, François Rinaldi and Paul Poncet, who had been runners-up in the previous French Championship, J. Merquey made his Marseille debut on 24 September 1950 against R.C. Carpentras. He scored a try in a 12–7 victory, leading the press to declare that « Merquey the rugby league player will surpass Merquey the rugby union player ».

His start to the season raised great expectations, and his name was soon mentioned as a possible addition to the France national rugby league team, who were due to begin the 1951 European Championship with a trip to England in mid-November. His first international call-up was delayed by an ankle injury and the resumption of his pharmacy studies at the Faculty of Marseille. He himself said that he had not expected to reach peak fitness so early in the season. Moreover, there was strong competition for the position in French rugby league, with Joseph Crespo, Jep Maso, Frédéric Trescases, Louis Llari and Odé Lespès. At the start of 1951, the Fédération française de jeu à XIII confirmed the organisation of France's first tour of the Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) for the summer of 1951, with J. Merquey named among the potential participants. His name was confirmed in March 1951 among the 27 players selected for the tour, alongside his clubmates J. Dop, Guy Delaye, Maurice André, François Rinaldi and André Béraud.

At R.C. Marseille, J. Merquey produced a number of fine performances and contributed to the club's successful season, as Marseille competed for both domestic titles — the Championship and the Cup. Despite elimination by A.S. Carcassonne in the French Cup quarter-finals, J. Merquey was selected the following week to start the final European Championship match against Wales, played at Marseille's Stade Vélodrome on 15 April 1951. He was described as the « playmaker rugby league has been waiting for » and positioned alongside winger O. Lespès. A French victory in that match, provided they improved their points difference sufficiently, would allow them to win the title. In the match at Marseille's Stade Vélodrome, the press dubbed France's attacking strength the « magic square », consisting of " Carrère–Galaup–Crespo–Merquey ". France won 28–13, with three tries from Raoul Pérez. J. Merquey thus won his first European Championship title.

He finished his season in the French Championship against XIII Catalan of Perpignan in Lyon. Having lost twice to the Catalans during the regular season, Marseille were not favourites for the semi-final. Without their scrum-half J. Dop, Marseille lost by only 10–8 despite the performance of J. Merquey, their best attacking player in the match.

1951: The French team’s triumphant tour of Australia

1951 French national team tour

Australia 15–26 France Australia 23–11 France Australia 14–35 France New Zealand 16–15 France French national team touring squad: Maurice André, Puig-Aubert, Jean Audoubert, Paul Bartoletti, Maurice Bellan, André Béraud, Élie Brousse, Robert Caillou, Gaston Calixte, Vincent Cantoni, Gaston Comes, Raymond Contrastin, Joseph Crespo, Guy Delaye, Jean Dop, René Duffort, Charles Galaup, Gabriel Genoud, Odé Lepes, Michel Lopez, Martin Martin, Louis Mazon, Jacques Merquey, François Montrucolis, Raoul Pérez, Édouard Ponsinet, and François Rinaldi.

In early April 1951, Jacques Merquey was named among the 27 players selected by the French federation to take part in the 1951 France tour.

On leaving Marseille, the France players were accompanied by tour director Antoine Blain and coaches Jean Duhau and Robert Samatan. They departed aboard a specially adapted four-engine aircraft that took them towards Sydney, with stopovers in Rome, Cairo, Karachi, Calcutta, Singapore, Jakarta and Darwin.

Once in Australia, the French team played numerous friendly matches against local clubs and representative sides before facing Australia, with the first match scheduled as a friendly on 11 June 1951 in Sydney. Starting at centre in the first Test match against Australia, J. Merquey took part in France's 26–15 victory before more than 60,000 spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Having also been tried at stand-off in friendly matches, J. Merquey displayed a versatility appreciated by the coaching staff. Thus, in the second Test against the same opponents, scheduled for 30 June, J. Merquey was this time named at stand-off alongside his scrum-half and clubmate Jean Dop. In Brisbane, Australia gained revenge with a 23–11 victory after trailing 12–6 at half-time.

Third Test match and France's historic 35–14 victory

Australia 14–35 France
France team: Puig-Aubert (captain) – Vincent Cantoni, Jacques Merquey, Gaston Comes, Raymond Contrastin – René Duffort (stand-off), Joseph Crespo (scrum-half) – Louis Mazon, Gabriel Genoud, Paul Bartoletti, Élie Brousse, Édouard Ponsinet, Gaston Calixte Coach: Jean Duhau

The deciding match was played in Sydney before a crowd of 67,000. France achieved a remarkable 35–14 victory, at the time the heaviest defeat inflicted on Australia, and on Australian soil. Australia had also never previously conceded more than 27 points (41 years earlier against England). The match made a great impact in the rugby league world and in Australia, where few had imagined the home team could be so comprehensively beaten. J. Merquey, retained at stand-off, and his teammates were praised throughout the press. He played the final Test against New Zealand at centre, but France lost 16–15. After the match he went to hospital with a minor infection in his arm. France nevertheless emerged as the overall winners of the tour, recording 21 victories, two draws and just four defeats.

The French team's return to Marseille in mid-September was greeted by a huge crowd who had come to acclaim the players following their triumphant tour. Before thousands of spectators, J. Merquey and his teammates travelled in a procession of cars from the town hall to the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, along the Canebière and allée Léon-Gambetta, each player riding in a convertible. Among others, they were received at the town hall by the Minister of National Education.

1951–1952: French Championship final and second European title

Following this tour, which left its mark on the history of French rugby league, Jacques Merquey returned to R.C. Marseille and postponed passing his pharmacy examinations by a year. He had « without regret because such a journey is a chance in a lifetime ». He was called up for France's first match against the ‘Other Nationalities’ representative side, made up of players from the British Empire playing in England, in the opening fixture of the 1952 European Championship. This first post-tour appearance took place in Hull before more than 30,000 spectators. France took a half to get into the game and trailed 9–4 at the interval. Despite more balanced play in the second half, France reacted too late to win and lost 17–14. J. Merquey was cited as one of France's best players, and his place in the side was not questioned for the rest of the season. The second international match took place on 25 November at the Stade Vélodrome against England. France relied on Puig-Aubert for points and J. Merquey to organise play at stand-off alongside Jean Dop at scrum-half, with Joseph Crespo and Roger Guilhem in the backs. Guilhem was placed at centre to make room for the Merquey–Dop half-back pairing. France completely overwhelmed England in a 42–13 victory, scoring ten tries, including one by J. Merquey. The press praised his performance as « a role performed with admirable restraint ».

R.C. Marseille continued to rely on J. Merquey, and he ended 1951 with two matches against New Zealand, who were touring Europe and scheduled to face France on 23 and 30 December 1951. The first match, at the Parc des Princes before a crowd of nearly 25,000, ended in an 8–3 French victory, with J. Merquey playing at centre alongside Raymond Contrastin. With fellow centre Joseph Crespo, J. Merquey formed a centre partnership considered one of the best in the world and capable of enabling France to defeat any national side. For the second match, André Carrère replaced J. Crespo, who was suffering from lumbago. J. Merquey and his teammates won 17–7 in Bordeaux and ended the year with that result. Rugby league received considerable press coverage, as his France teammate Puig-Aubert was named Champion of Champions by the leading French sports newspaper L'Équipe, an award recognising the French athlete who had produced the best performance of the preceding year, particularly in light of the tour of the Antipodes.

At club level, despite being in poorer physical condition than in previous months, J. Merquey played a major role in Marseille's strong Championship campaign, as the club occupied second place behind A.S. Carcassonne. Carcassonne appeared to be the best team that year, as demonstrated by their meeting in the last 16 of the French Cup in March 1952, which Carcassonne won by a heavy 23–0 score. This dip in form led the France selectors to leave J. Merquey with his club for the remainder of the season, and he therefore missed selection for the final European Championship match against Wales (a 20–12 victory that secured the title for France and J. Merquey).

In the French Championship semi-final against U.S. Lyon-Villeurbanne, Marseille won 34–13 in a match in which Lyon had to play with eleven men after injuries to Sabeyrac early in the game and Robert Lucia in the 15th minute. Facing A.S. Carcassonne in the final, held on 18 May 1952 at stade Chapou in Toulouse, R.C. Marseille led 6–0 and appeared to be controlling the match when, in the 34th minute, a pass from J. Merquey was intercepted by Grasseau, allowing Carcassonne to close the gap to 6–5 at half-time. The second half developed into an intense, evenly matched contest. A.S. Carcassonne first took a 7–6 lead following a drop goal by Gilbert Benausse, then pulled away in the last ten minutes to win 18–6. The end of the season took its toll, and J. Merquey withdrew from the prestigious match against the British Lions at the Parc des Princes.

1952–1953: Jacques Merquey’s last season at R.C. Marseille

At the start of the 1952–53 French Championship season, Jacques Merquey delayed his return to the Marseille side, coached by Guy Vassal, and obtained permission not to return until October so that he could sit his pharmacy examination.