Joseph Crespo

Joseph Crespo known as Monsieur Jo (Elne, 1 January 1925 – Mably, 7 May 2004) is a French rugby union and rugby league player who play as a centre or scrum-half.

Born in Perpignan, Joseph Crespo discovered the rugby union within the neighborhood club Avenir sportif perpignan alongside a man named Puig Aubert then both joined the USA Perpignan. J. Crespo become French junior champion in 1943 then French senior champion in 1944 in a Perpignan team including Joseph Desclaux, Puig-Aubert and Frédéric Trescases against Avigon bayonnais of Jean Dauger with a score of 20–5.

The rugby league reappeared in France in 1944 after its ban durint the Second World War ; J. Crespo like many Perpignans such as Henri Riu, joined this code of rugby and joined the R.C. Roanne of Claudius Devernois in 1945. Within the Roanne club, alongside René Duffort with whom he perfected the crossing pass, he won the French Championship twice in 1947 and 1948, then he joined U.S. Lyon-Villeurbanne for two other titles in 1951 and 1955, supplemented by two Coupe de France titles in 1953 and 1954.

He is one of the best scrum-half in the French Championship, capable of playing five-eight or centre with equal success, he also has 28 caps with the France national team, taking part in the titles of European Rugby League Championship in 1949, 1951 and 1952, participating at the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand, and the World Cup final in 1954.

Career Crespo started to play rugby union for USA Perpignan, with which he became1943-44 French Rugby Union Championship French Champion in 1944. In the same year, he returned to play rugby league, which was forbidden by the Vichy regime between 1941 and 1944, joining RC Roanne XIII and later for Lyon Villeurbanne XIII. He earned 26 caps for France, between 1948 and 1954, taking part to the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand and the 1954 World Cup. During his active life, he worked as sales rep for home improvement articles.

Honours Rugby union Perpignan: French Rugby Union Championship Winner : 1944

Club statistics

Rugby league France Rugby League European Championship Winner : 1949, 1951 and 1952 Roanne : French Rugby League Championship Winner: 1947 and 1948 Lyon : French Rugby League Championship Winner: 1951 and 1955 Coupe de France Lord Derby Winner: 1953 and 1954