Who is Paul Sironen, Rugby legend passing through the bastide?

“I'm giving you one of my Australian team jerseys. You will be able to sell it at auction for the benefit of the club.” This is Paul Sironen's gift, in addition to his presence for an evening to his former teammates from the Léopards d'Aquitaine.

Paul Sironen was born on May 23, 1965 in Sydney (Australia) was an Australian second-row Rugby union player for the Balmain Tigers in the 1980s and 1990s, playing in the NSWRL finals in 1988 and 1989. He played for NSW (State of Origin) as well as for Australia (21 caps). He was also named in the Balmain Tigers and West Tigers Team of the Century. It is normal that this exceptional player spent his entire career in Australia, because as fans of rugby 13 know well, this form of rugby has a preponderant place on the island continent.

During his 21 selections, he faced the French team of thirteen in a test match. She had in her ranks a well-known Villeneuvois, Sam, who remembers the start of this test. “Sironen recovered the ball on the kick-off. He went 40 meters up the field with several of our players clinging to him. He was a monster of power and a very big player.”

“He had barely arrived from Australia when he came to play for the Leopards”

Arriving in the bastide in 1998, at the time when the Leopards dominated the French championship and had also won in a short-lived European competition against English clubs, Paul Sironen arrived on a Saturday from Australia, by plane.

It was his teammates at the time, Franky Goffin, perfectly bilingual, who picked him up at the airport. He remembers his arrival. “We were playing the evening of his arrival at Myre-Mory. And he entered the field with us as soon as he had landed in France. A great player of whom we only have good memories. And that season, we made the cup-championship double”.

Pau and Franky remained very close, and it was he who was behind his coming here. It must be said that he kept ties to France and England. Indeed, one of his sons, Bayley, made a name for himself with the Catalan Dragons and the other, Curtis, with the Saints in England.

A good meal, a pleasant evening with friends, sporting memories to talk about together. Until next time Paul.