Marc Mercier (1968-2009) - Born in the Paris suburbs, he played the game of rugby from an early age and preferred to play at Fly-Half or Center, although he was comfortable anywhere in the Backs.

He first came to Asia around 1993, as an employee of Ricard (the French distiller), for whom he began working in Vietnam, and there he created a rugby club so that he could play his beloved game. A pattern that he would repeat elsewhere.

After 3 years in Vietnam, in 1996 he moved to Indonesia as Director of the French Chamber of Commerce. He joined there the ISCI rugby club as a player and was also an active committee member. There he helped creating a French oriented team called the Rubipedes who played with the expected Gallic flair. It was in Jakarta that he met his wife Anne, who hailed from Scotland.

In 1999 he left Indonesia for Turkey, where he created yet another rugby team, called the Ottoman Rugby Club, who would become the first Turkish rugby champions. After 4 years in Turkey he returned to France, where he continued to play rugby at the Union Athletique Vernoise (a small club close to the town of Perigueux). He passed away at around 6.30 pm on Saturday June 13th 2009, during a game of rugby. He was 41 years old.

He is survived by his wife Anne and 2 children, daughter Axelle (7 years) and Dylan (3 years). The thoughts of the whole Turkish Rugby Community are with them at this sad time.

Marc Mercier