Chamalières
Chamalières (; Auvergnat: ) is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, central France.
With 17,276 inhabitants (2019), Chamalières is the fourth-largest town in the department. It lies adjacent to the west of Clermo ...
,
Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme (; or ''lo Puèi Domat'') is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the centre of France. In 2021, it had a population of 662,285.Ricky Evans the Welsh prop in Paris
causing a ruck to collapse on him breaking his ankle, resulted in his being sued successfully in the courts for damages. This was the first case of its kind and BBC video evidence was used in court. After that he never played for France again.
Merle started his career at
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne () is a French professional rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. Clermont are two t ...
A French championship Title private following a refereeing error with Grenoble 1993
He also would play for
FC Grenoble
The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892.
FCG was champion of France in 1953–54 French Rugby Union Championship, 1954 and runner-up in 1992–93 French Rugby Union Championshi ...
and despite overpowering pack called the Mammoths of Grenoble his club tilts on the score of 14-11.
A try of
Olivier Brouzet
Olivier Brouzet (born 22 November 1972, in Béziers) is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position was at lock. He has played over 70 internationals for France national rugby union team, France, including being a part of numerous Rugby ...
is denied to Grenoble and the decisive try by Gary Whetton was awarded by the referee, Daniel Salles, when in fact the defender Franck Hueber from Grenoble touched down the ball first in his try zone.
This error gave the title to Castres. Salles admitted the error 13 years later.Jacques Fouroux the coach of FC Grenoble in conflict with the Federation and who was already suspicious before the match of the referee cry out conspiracy.
He returns for ASM Clermont Auvergne at the season of 1995/96, where he would stay until 1999/2000. He then moved to
RC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RCNM) is a French rugby union club that play in the third-level Nationale.
They are based in Narbonne in the Aude '' département'' of Occitania. They were founded in 1907. They play at P ...
for two seasons, from 2000/01 to 2001/02. His final season was spent at Stade Aurillacois, in 2002/03.
The French lock had 45 caps for
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, scoring 6 tries, 30 points in aggregate, from 1993 to 1997. He was selected for the
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup (), was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country.
The World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in ...
, playing all the five matches. He played four times at the Five Nations, in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, winning it the last time, with a Grand Slam.
FC Grenoble
The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892.
FCG was champion of France in 1953–54 French Rugby Union Championship, 1954 and runner-up in 1992–93 French Rugby Union Championshi ...
:
1993
The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as:
* International Year for the World's Indigenous People
The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...