Pascal Ondarts
Encyclopedia
Pascal Ondarts is a former French rugby union player. He played as a prop and as a hooker. He was considered by The Times
one of the 10 most frightening French players ever to represent his National Team.
Ondarts played all his career at Biarritz Olympique
, from 1976/77 to 1992/93. He was runners-up to the French Championship in 1991/92.
He had 42 caps for France
, scoring 1 try, 4 points in aggregate, from a 16-3 win over New Zealand, at 15 November 1986, in Nantes
, in a friendly. It should be noticed that he was already 30 years old when he made his debut for his National Team. He participated in 5 editions of the Five Nations Championship, in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991, being a winner in 1987, with a Grand Slam, 1988, ex-aequo with Wales
, and 1989. He played at the 1987 Rugby World Cup
, where France lost the final to New Zealand by 29-9, but missed the final, and at the 1991 Rugby World Cup
, where he had his last game for his National Team, at 19 October 1991, in the 10-19 loss to England
, at the quarter-finals, aged 35 years old.
After ending his player career, he opened a restaurant in his hometown of Biarritz.
English prop Jason Leonard
said that "Pascal Ondarts was the best, the toughest and hardest prop against I ever played".
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
one of the 10 most frightening French players ever to represent his National Team.
Ondarts played all his career at Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
, from 1976/77 to 1992/93. He was runners-up to the French Championship in 1991/92.
He had 42 caps for France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, scoring 1 try, 4 points in aggregate, from a 16-3 win over New Zealand, at 15 November 1986, in Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, in a friendly. It should be noticed that he was already 30 years old when he made his debut for his National Team. He participated in 5 editions of the Five Nations Championship, in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991, being a winner in 1987, with a Grand Slam, 1988, ex-aequo with Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, and 1989. He played at the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
, where France lost the final to New Zealand by 29-9, but missed the final, and at the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
, where he had his last game for his National Team, at 19 October 1991, in the 10-19 loss to England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, at the quarter-finals, aged 35 years old.
After ending his player career, he opened a restaurant in his hometown of Biarritz.
English prop Jason Leonard
Jason Leonard
Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...
said that "Pascal Ondarts was the best, the toughest and hardest prop against I ever played".