Former international second row Alain Estève died Tuesday at the age of 77 “following a long illness”, France Bleu Hérault reported on Tuesday. He won the French championship eight times between 1971 and 1981 with the Béziers club.
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He was nicknamed “the Beast of Béziers”. Former rugby international and former Béziers player, Alain Estève, died at the age of 77, France Bleu Hérault learned on Tuesday November 7 from the AS Rugby Hérault club. The former player from the ASBH heyday in Béziers was the first international to exceed the height of 2 meters and weighed 120 kilos. He was considered one of the ten scariest rugby players by the British daily The Timesin an article published in 2006.
The newspaper ranked him second of ten French rugby players “the scariest”, reports France Bleu Hérault. In addition to the “Beast of Béziers”, Alain Estève was nicknamed “the Great”, “the Eiffel Tower” and even “the Turkey”. His physique had even earned him the opportunity to play the role of the Ogre in a television series on Tom Thumb. Role ultimately attributed to Jean-Pierre Marielle.
Eight French championship titles
The rugby player occupied the second and third row positions during the prosperous years of the AS Béziers club. On his X account (ex-Twitter), AS Béziers Hérault pays tribute to him: “The Great is dead. The ASBH is sad to inform you of the disappearance of Alain Estève (77 years old) following a long illness. To the people of Biterrois and to the entire world of rugby, Alain Estève will be sorely missed.”
The French Rugby Federation also announces its “deep sadness” in a press release published on its website: “He is a legend of French rugby who has passed away […] The disappearance of international number 618 will leave a big void in the history of French rugby.”
Son of a farm worker, Alain Estève won the 5 Nations tournament in 1973. He was selected 20 times for the French XV, from 1971 to 1975, including 12 selections for the 5 Nations tournament. Alain Estève also won eight French championship titles, between 1971 and 1981 and three Yves du Manoir challenges.
But he was also convicted in 2004 for pimping, recalls France Bleu Hérault: in his night establishments he exploited the services of young women whom he had brought from Eastern countries.