Jean-Charles Orso

{{Short description|French rugby union player (born 1958)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Jean-Charles Orso

| image =

| caption =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|01|06|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cannes, France

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 6 ft 3 in

| weight = 231 lb

| occupation =

| school =

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| relatives =

| position = Lock

| repyears1 = 1982–88

| repteam1 = {{nrut|France}}

| repcaps1 = 11

| reppoints1 = 0

}}

Jean-Charles Orso (born 6 January 1958) is a French former rugby union international{{cite news |last1=Issartel |first1=Dominique |title=Jean-Charles Orso: «Ils m'appelaient Rambo» |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Article/Jean-charles-orso-ils-m-appelaient-rambo/876656 |work=L'Équipe |date=17 February 2018 |language=fr}}{{cite news |title=Le champion des jardins |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/le-champion-des-jardins_642722.html |work=L'Express |date=13 June 2001 |language=fr}}

Orso, born in Cannes, grew up on an orchard farm outside the city which was operated by his father and uncle, who were pre-war emigrants from Liguria, Italy.{{cite news |last1=Bertrand |first1=Olivier |title=Jean-Charles Orso, colosse aux petits légumes |url=https://www.liberation.fr/vous/2011/12/16/jean-charles-orso-colosse-aux-petits-legumes_782219/ |work=Libération |date=16 December 2011 |language=fr}}

A strong, tall lock, Orso started his senior career with RC Nice, playing in the club's only championship final in 1983, which they lost to AS Béziers. He won a Brennus Shield with RC Toulon in 1987.{{cite news |title=Orso a plaqué la nostalgie |url=https://nice.maville.com/actu/actudet_--orso-a-plaque-la-nostalgie-_9581-1217695_actu.Htm |work=nice.maville.com |date=8 January 2010 |language=fr}} He was capped 11 times for France during the 1980s and took part in four Five Nations campaigns, as well as the 1984 tour of New Zealand. It has been speculated that his omission from the 1987 World Cup came on orders of the French federation president Albert Ferrasse, to placate someone in Nice who was unhappy that Orso had transferred to RC Toulon.{{cite news |title=Orso, la cinquantaine rugissante |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/blog/nicerugby/2008/01/21/orso-la-cinquantaine-rugissante/ |work=Le Monde |date=21 January 2008 |language=fr-FR}}