First XV’s tour tribute to French student
FRENCH exchange student Peyo Crus was just 17 when he died as the car he was a passenger in skidded off Oteha Valley Road, and crashed into a tree in the early hours of a January morning on Auckland’s North Shore last year.
It was, said his Long Bay College headmaster, Russell Brooke, a ‘‘horrible teenage car accident’’.
Peyo’s father, Olivier, was determined his vibrant only child, and what headmaster Brooke called Peyo’s ‘‘amazing love of life’’, would not be easily forgotten. Olivier quickly found a kindred spirit in Peyo’s coach in the Long Bay First XV, Craig Thomason.
At Peyo’s funeral in his home town of Chaumont, 270km south- east of Paris, Olivier said: ‘‘Life is intense, maybe short. You need to make the most of it, live life to the fullest, love, play rugby, play in everyday life, communicate, learn, at school, from yourselves, from others. We must not be sad.’’
Now, in a unique response to Olivier Crus’s message, 19 young men, who played rugby with, or knew Peyo when he was at Long Bay College, are flying to France next Sunday as a collective, coached by Thomason, to play a one-off game against a local Chaumont team.
The Long Bay side will bring a silver Peyo Cup with them, and a ‘‘Play Like Peyo’’ rugby ball signed by Prime Minister Jacinda Adern.
They’ll wear a special jersey, with Maori motifs, designed by the team’s assistant coach, Craig’s son Ben Thomason, that depict golden stairs for Peyo’s ascent to heaven. Before the game they’ll perform a haka, written for the game by Ben, whose Maori heritage comes from his maternal grandfather, 1950s All Black Keith Davis. SIMON MAUDE/STUFF
The first stop on a seven-day visit to France for the team is Paris. They’ll visit the National Assembly, where they may meet French President Emmanuel Macron, be hosted for a lunch at Dan Carter’s current club, Racing Metro 92, and be guests at a reception at the New Zealand Embassy.
On Friday, April 27, they travel to Chaumont, and visit Peyo’s grave. Next day, they play the one off game at Chaumont Stadium. Even if Long Bay win, Peyo’s Cup will stay in France. ‘‘I doubt the game will ever happen again,’’ says Craig Thomason.
Every detail of what’s happening in France, says Craig, has been arranged by Olivier Crus. ‘‘He’s been tireless. ‘Live Like Peyo’ has taken on a life of its own over there. There are T-shirts in Chaumont and Paris with the slogan on them, being worn not just by rugby teams, but by sides playing everything from hockey to netball.’’
Craig says: ‘‘Peyo was large as life, and very well liked,’’ says Craig. ‘‘This trip is the best tribute we can pay him.’’