Jean Pierre Clar (born 27 February 1942 ^[2]), also known by the nicknames of "Jap", "Nam", "Le chinois" ("The Chinese") and "Tronche d'obus" ("Howitzer head"), is a French former professional rugby league and amateur rugby union footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He played representative level rugby league (RL) for France in the 1968 Rugby League World Cup and 1970 Rugby League World Cup, and at club level for US Villeneuve XIII (two spells), as a hooker or loose forward, i.e. number 9 or 13, during the era of contested scrums, and he played club level rugby union (RU) for SU Agen, as a flanker, i.e. number 6 or 7.

Background

Jean-Pierre Clar born in Hanoi, French Indochina from a French father and a Vietnamese mother. ^[3]

As a player, he is considered not very heavy, neither very fast, but having "a style at any speed of execution as he was technically to the point" ^[4]

He debuted in rugby league for Villeneuve XIII alongside his brother Christian, before returning there after his rugby union period. In fact, he played three seasons for SU Agen, winning a French Championship title in 1962. With Villeneuve, he won the French Championship in 1964. Called up for the France national team, he earned 34 caps between 1965 and 72.

One of his notable feats was on 6 March 1967, during a match against Great Britain national team in Wigan, a match where he exemplified himself by his pugnacity and his resistance to bad gestures from opposing players (notably, from Bill Bryant) which would earn him the applause of the British public at the end of the match. ^[5]

Outside the field, he is a company manager, ^[6] after working as a "locksmith welder". ^[7]

References