2005 was celebrating the All Blacks, 100 years after their famous tour to Great Britain, France and the US.

2006 will celebrate the Springboks, who toured in Europe the following year.

Even though the Springbols were not as impitoyable as their fellow colonials from New Zealand (24 v, 3 def including a test match against Scotland), some believe this team was possibly more complete and stronger than the 'Original" All Blacks...

I have a couple of prints or cards to illustrate the topic over the next few days...

Another French advertising postcard with a rugby theme, by illustrator Mich.

No date, but possibly around 1910 (it's my guess... just tell me if you have more informations).

Mich did a lot a sporting prints, such as this other one (which hangs in ... my living-room...)

Full title of the postcard is "Une partie de Football au Vatican".

I will not comment too much... my friend Jerome doesn't like when it turns blasphemous...

Well, this nice scrum reminds us of the election of Pope Pius X ("Pie X" in French) in 1903... maybe a suggestion for next conclave...

Another advertising postcard with a rugby theme, from "aperitif" wine maker Byrrh.

Byrrh is still on the market today... You can visit their cellar either online (they have the largest oak barrel in the world... 1 000 200 liters !) or "in real life" in this wonderful part of France - they are located in Pyrenees-Orientales "French Catalonia", same as the competitor mentioned in my previous post.

Jean-Luc, do you want to add something about Perpignan and your homeland ?

French rugby postcard advertising for an "aperitif" ("Trilles" from Perpignan, Pyrenees-Orientales), from a time when rugby and heavy drinking were often synonymous...

In fact, I don't know when this card was issued... I guess in the 30s...

Yes, cricket...

I proud myself to be one of the few Frenchmen who understand something about cricket... not everything of course (hey ! I am French...), but enough to enjoy it...

Maybe a recollection of this great time I had 15 years ago... at the Singapore Cricket Club ...

Actually, illustrator Tom Browne did a lot of fine rugby comic postcards like this one or that one... that I will (re)post sooner or later...

No comment, it's not rugby...

Yes ... stupid, but old...

Penguins playing balls...

Why... ? No guess, but I have a hint... This postcard is not French... it comes from Belgium...

Did you know that cats could be fairly wild when playing rugby?

This is a famous rugby postcard (1907 I believe... I need to check in my album...) illustrated by Louis Wain, an artist who made his living by painting cats, drawing cats, cheering cats... According to his bio, the guy ended up schizophrenic and incarcerated within a Victorian mental assylum... no kidding... beware of cats...!

A few days in advance : merry XMas to all of you ! I hope to meet you again soon here !

Nice rugby postcard named "Les Landes Sportives" after the title of a local sports newspaper.

Nice text also on the back, where a club manager is inviting a fellow manager to join to a local tournament...

I have no idea about the date, but it said (on the back) that the meeting will be held on a Sunday, May 18th... So, possibly 1919, 1924 or 1930... Your guess ?

NB : for my foreign readers who don't know about "Les Landes", it is a wonderful place South West of France... Sea, sun, food, forest, nature...