Bernard Laporte: "A very great servant of rugby"
It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of Patrick Gréa.
Patrick, from Toulouse, installed for more than 30 years on the island of Saint-Martin, was co-creator with Maurice Tardits des Archiball, the first Saint-Martin rugby club, and founder of the Saint-Martin Rugby Union dedicated to Training.
Achievements that have contributed among other things to being awarded the Sports Medal in 2014.
His efforts to implant the oval balloon in the West Indies (Northern Islands) by increasing the initiation courses have generated vocations that his enthusiasm and his ability to federate then transformed into excellent results both in Saint Martin and with the selection Committee Guadeloupe - IDN with which he was champion U19 during the TAG IN Guyana in 2016.
Success also achieved with obtaining the partnerships necessary for the development of rugby on the island, such as that forged with the USEP, or by allowing by its self-sacrifice to the Saint-Martin Rugby Union to resume very quickly its activity after the passage of the Cyclone Irma in 2017.
I had the pleasure of meeting him during my visit to Saint-Martin on January 20, 2018 during the directed training of children from the Archiball rugby schools and the SM Rugby Union.
His disappearance will leave a great void but I have no doubt that he will forever be present in their hearts, especially of those he may have accompanied during trips to Belgium and the South-West of France and in memory well sure of all the rugby players he will have encountered.
Personally, I will keep Patrick's memories of a man passionate about our sport and committed to the good of others.
The Steering Committee of the French Rugby Federation joins me in addressing his wife, Camille, their children, Johanna, Louis and Juliette, as well as all the licensees and friends of Island rugby, our most sincere condolences ”.
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