{{Short description|Former France international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox rugby league biography | name = Raymond Gruppi | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|10|30|df=y}} | birth_place = Villeneuve-sur-Lot, France | death_place = | death_date = | position = {{rlp|ce|wg}} | height = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|12|st|5|lb|kg|abbr=on}} | club1 = Villeneuve-sur-Lot | year1start = 1955 | year1end = 57 | club2 = Battaillon de Joinville | year2start = 1957 | year2end = 59 | club3 = Villeneuve-sur-Lot | year3start = 1959 | year3end = 69 | teamA = France | appearancesA = 16 | yearAstart = 1959 | yearAend = 71 | goalsA = 0 | pointsA = 27 | fieldgoalsA = 0 | triesA = 9 | teamB = Rest of the World | appearancesB = 6 | fieldgoalsB = 0 | yearBstart = 1960 | yearBend = | goalsB = | triesB = 2 | pointsB = 6 | coachteam1 = Villeneuve-sur-Lot | coachyear1start = 1978 | coachyear1end = 82 | coachgames1 = | coachwins1 = | coachdraws1 = | coachlosses1 = | coachteamA = France | coachyearAstart = 1985 | coachyearAend = | coachgamesA = | coachwinsA = | coachdrawsA = | coachlossesA = | source = <ref name="rugbyleagueproject.org" /> | updated = 19 November 2023 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = Jacques Gruppi (brother) }} }}

'''Raymond Gruppi''' (born in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, on 30 September 1937), is a French former rugby league player who played as centre and wing<ref name="trove">{{Cite web|title=Vol. 41 No. 12 (June 11, 1960)|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-610045131|access-date=2021-07-16|website=Trove|language=en}}</ref> and later was a coach.

==Personal life== He is the brother of the former rugby league player Jacques Gruppi,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Laborderie|first=Renaud de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L-mVDwAAQBAJ&dq=jacques+gruppi+rugby&pg=PT243|title=Le rugby dans le sang|date=1968-01-01|publisher=(Calmann-Lévy) réédition numérique FeniXX|isbn=978-2-7062-0248-3|language=fr}}</ref> as well of the former rugby union player Pierre Gruppi. His sons are Enzo Gruppi and Thibaut Gruppi, who play for Villeneuve XIII RLLG.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Enzo Gruppi sur les traces de Jacques et Raymond|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2016/07/23/2389436-enzo-gruppi-sur-les-traces-de-jacques-et-raymond.html|access-date=2021-07-16|website=ladepeche.fr|language=fr}}</ref> In the civil life, outside the field, he worked as a seedsman.<ref name="trove" /> He is also a horse trainer<ref>{{Cite web|title=Raymond GRUPPI - Eleveur: Eleveur de trotteurs|url=https://www.letrot.com/en/fiche-homme/raymond-gruppi/YGFbbAcAag/ELEVEUR/|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.letrot.com}}</ref>

== Biography == He spent most of his playing career at Villeneuve-sur-Lot, playing the French Championship, which eventually ended as runner-up in 1965, and at the Lord Derby Cup a season later. With his club performances, he was called up several times for the French national team between 1959 and 1971, taking part in the 1960 and 1970 World Cups.

Later, he was appointed as coach for Villeneuve-sur-Lot<ref>{{Cite web|title=Raymond Gruppi se souvient de l'élève Albert|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/1999/05/22/128946-raymond-gruppi-se-souvient-de-l-eleve-albert.html|access-date=2021-07-16|website=ladepeche.fr|language=fr}}</ref> with new successes with the victory at the Lord Derby Cup in 1979 and in the French Championship in 1980. He was also appointed as coach for France alongside Jean Panno, debuting with a 24-16 win against Great Britain on 17 March 1985.

He was called up for the France squad at the 1960 Rugby League World Cup alongside his teammates Angélo Boldini, Jacques Dubon, André Lacaze and Jacques Merquey. Later, he was called up again to represent France at the 1970 Rugby League World Cup with his new team mates Jean-Pierre Clar, Gérard Cremoux, Daniel Pellerin and Christian Sabatié.<ref name="rugbyleagueproject.org">{{Cite web|title=Raymond Gruppi - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/raymond-gruppi/summary.html|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref>

== Honours ==

=== As player ===

* Team honours : ** Winner of the French Championship : 1964<ref name="finale">Did not play the final due to injury.</ref> (Villeneuve-sur-Lot). ** Winner of the Lord Derby Cup : 1964<ref name="finale" /> (Villeneuve-sur-Lot). ** Runner-up at the French Championship : 1962<ref name="finale" /> et 1965 (Villeneuve-sur-Lot). ** Runner-up at the Lord Derby Cup : 1966 et 1969<ref name="finale" /> (Villeneuve-sur-Lot).

=== As coach ===

* Team honours : ** Winner of the French Championship : 1980 (Villeneuve-sur-Lot). ** Winner of the Lord Derby Cup : 1979 (Villeneuve-sur-Lot).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Raphaël|date=2020-04-08|title=Finale Coupe de France Lord Derby 1979 : Villeneuve XIII 15 - 5 Carcassonne|url=https://treizemondial.fr/finale-coupe-de-france-lord-derby-1979-villeneuve-xiii-15-5-carcassonne/|access-date=2021-07-16|website=Treize Mondial|language=fr-FR}}</ref> ** Runner-up at the French Championship : 1981<ref>The final could not arrive at its end.</ref> (Villeneuve-sur-Lot).

== References == {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/raymond-gruppi/summary.html Raymond Gruppi] at rugbyleagueproject.com {{France 1960 Rugby League World Cup squad}} {{France squad - 1970 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruppi, Raymond}} Category:1937 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century French sportsmen Category:French horse trainers Category:French rugby league coaches Category:French rugby league players Category:France national rugby league team players Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Rugby league players from Villeneuve-sur-Lot Category:Villeneuve Leopards players Category:Villeneuve Leopards coaches