Philippe Bernat-Salles

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Philippe Bernat-Salles

| image = Philippe Bernat-Salles 2013 Hand Star Game t200730.jpg

| caption = Bernat-Salles at the 2013 Hand Star Game

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|feet=5|inches=11}}

| weight = {{convert|177|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Wing

| amatyears1 =

| amatyears2 = 1986-1987

| amatyears3 = 1987-1996

| amatyears4 = 2005-2006

| amatyears5 = 2006-2007

| amatteam1 = Bizanos

| amatteam2 = AS Idron-Lee

| amatteam3 = Pau

| amatteam4 = US Capbreton

| amatteam5 = Tarbes

| ru_amupdate =

| repteam1 = France

| repyears1 = 1992-2001

| repcaps1 = 41

| reppoints1 = 130

| ru_ntupdate = 5 July 2014

| years1 = 1996-1997

| years2 = 1997-1998

| years3 = 1998-2005

| clubs1 = Bordeaux

| clubs2 = Pau

| clubs3 = Biarritz

| apps1 =

| points1 =

| ru_clubupdate =

| ru_currentclub =

| province1 =

| provinceyears1 =

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| ru_provinceupdate =

| repsevensyears1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

| coachteams1 = US Capbreton (backs coach)

| coachyears1 = 2006-2007

| ru_coachupdate =

| occupation = Canal+ sports consultant
Rugby commentator
Rally driver
Camping site owner
Sports administrator

}}

Philippe Bernat-Salles (born 17 February 1970) is a retired French rugby union player, usually playing as a wing. His main skill was a blinding speed, while he was also visually striking due to his unruly mop of gray hair.

Early life

Bernat-Salles was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

He went through the youth teams of Bizanos before joining AS Idron-Lee, in which first XV he debuted at the age of 16.{{cite web

|url = http://www.pau-pyrenees.com/fr/decouv_hist_pat_palois_celebres_bernat_salles.php

|title = Bernat Salles's short bio (in French)

|accessdate = 2009-09-17

|publisher = Pau-Pyrénées Tourisme

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081114184532/http://www.pau-pyrenees.com/fr/decouv_hist_pat_palois_celebres_bernat_salles.php

|archivedate = 2008-11-14

}}

Before starting his professional career, Bernat-Salles worked as an electrician.

Club career

In 1987,{{cite web

|url = http://www.jeudemaillot.fr/trajectoire/010301bernat-salles.html

|title = interview (in French)

|author = Sylvain Muzeau

|year = 2002

|accessdate = 2009-09-17

|publisher = .jeudemaillot.fr

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721001317/http://www.jeudemaillot.fr/trajectoire/010301bernat-salles.html

|archivedate = 2011-07-21

}} Bernat-Salles joined the high-level club closest to where he lived, Pau, where he gained his first international caps and remained until 1996, at the start of the professional era, when he moved to Bordeaux-Bègles.

After one season at Bordeaux, Bernat-Salles moved back to Pau. Again after one year, he joined Biarritz, where he remained for seven seasons.

In 2005, after it had been announced that he would join the ambitious second division side Tarbes,{{cite web

|url = http://www.sport.fr/Rugby/rug/Top-14-tableau-des-transferts-45125.shtm

|title = 2005 D1 transfers

|date = 2005-07-07

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = sport.fr

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071231014304/http://www.sport.fr/Rugby/rug/Top-14-tableau-des-transferts-45125.shtm

|archivedate = 2007-12-31

}} Bernat-Salles surprised everybody by joining lowly US Capbreton{{cite web

|url = http://trepanates.free.fr/index.php/Rugby

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060306093432/http://trepanates.free.fr/index.php/Rugby

|url-status = dead

|archive-date = 2006-03-06

|title = Capbreton fans' surprise

|date = 2005-08-25

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = Capbreton fans site

}} in Fédérale 3 (that is, the fifth division of French rugby). In 2006-07, finally, while acting as US Capbreton's backs coach, he was a part of Tarbes's roster alongside his old Pau and France teammate Philippe Carbonneau, but ended the season having played only one first XV game{{cite web

|url = https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/RugbyJoueursUtilises119_101.html

|title = Tarbes 2006-07

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = L'Equipe

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061123182802/http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/RugbyJoueursUtilises119_101.html

|archivedate = 2006-11-23

}} and retired from active rugby.

International career

Bernat-Salles won his first cap for the French national team on 14 November 1992 against Argentina.{{cite web

|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/22568.html

|title=France v Argentina 1992

|author=

|date=

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}}

Although he was not considered during the 1993 Five Nations Championship, he went on to win his next six caps in the following summer and autumn tours.{{cite web

|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/11363.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match

|title=Bernat-Salles's international career

|author=

|date=

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} He played only one game (against Ireland) in 1994 and two in 1995, and was not considered for that year's World Cup. Again in 1996 he was selected only once, while in 1997 he was ignored for the Five Nations but played three games in the summer tour to Romania and Australia.

In 1998 he finally became a constant feature of the French XV, scoring in the process the first try ever scored at the Stade de France.{{cite web

|url = http://www.thebeautifulgame.co.uk/ss_viewarticlecall12.php?id=509

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111008231915/http://www.thebeautifulgame.co.uk/ss_viewarticlecall12.php?id=509

|url-status = dead

|archive-date = 2011-10-08

|title = 6 Nation stadiums records

|author = Luke Edwards

|date = February 2008

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = EMP-Sport

}} He maintained his position in 1999, being selected for the World Cup where he played five games, including the historical semifinal win against New Zealand, in which he scored a try{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/history/2966114.stm

|title=1999 World Cup semi

|author=

|date=1999-10-31

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=BBC Sport}} and the final against Australia.{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/history/2960358.stm

|title=1999 World Cup final

|author=

|date=1999-11-06

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=BBC Sport}}

He then played four internationals in 2000 (two in the Six Nations and two, against New Zealand, during the summer tests) and concluded his international career in 2001, when he won his last five caps.

He scored a try in all 5 rounds of the 6 Nations Championship in 2001, the first and only player to do so until 2025 where England's Tommy Freeman and Frances's Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored in all 5 rounds.{{Cite web|url=http://www.supersport.com/rugby/six-nations/records|title=Six Nations Overall Records}}

His final international tally is of 41 caps with 26 tries, summing up to 130 points scored.{{cite web

|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/france/rugby/player/11363.html

|title=Bernat-Salles's international profile

|author=

|date=

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}}{{cite web

|url = http://www.ffr.fr/index.php/equipes_de_france/xv_de_france/tous_les_joueurs/bernat_salles_philippe_19700217

|title = Bernat-Salles's international profile (FFR)

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = FFR

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100522090315/http://www.ffr.fr/index.php/equipes_de_france/xv_de_france/tous_les_joueurs/bernat_salles_philippe_19700217

|archivedate = 2010-05-22

}}

Outside of rugby

After his retirement, besides working for Canal+ as a consultant and sometimes commentator, he owns a camping site in Labenne-Ocean.{{cite web

|url = http://www.campinglamer.com/index.html

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010303204553/http://www.campinglamer.com/index.html

|url-status = dead

|archive-date = 2001-03-03

|title = Camping "La Mer" homepage

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = Camping "La Mer"

}}{{cite web

|url = http://www.beachwizard.com/beach.asp?country=France&beachid=6520

|title = Surfing in Capbreton

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = beachwizard.com

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091007131047/http://www.beachwizard.com/beach.asp?country=France&beachid=6520

|archivedate = 2009-10-07

}}

He had planned to compete in the 2008 Dakar Rally{{cite web

|url = http://www.dakar.com/2008/DAK/RIDERS/us/equipage/464.html

|title = Team 4x4 Off Road Club

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = Dakar.com

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080304172612/http://www.dakar.com/2008/DAK/RIDERS/us/equipage/464.html

|archivedate = 2008-03-04

}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2008/01/02/423168-Dakar-2008-Philippe-Bernat-Salles-J-ai-dit-oui-sans-reflechir.html

|title=Interview to Bernat-Salles on the 2008 Dakar (in French)

|author=Marie-France Estenave

|date=2008-01-02

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=la Depeche}} alongside Gilles Lafeuillade on a Bowler, but the race was canceled at the eleventh hour due to the fear of a terrorist attack.{{cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04012008/58/dakar-2008-dakar-cancelled-security.html |title=Dakar 2008 canceled |date=2008-01-04 |accessdate=2009-09-18 |publisher=Eurosport |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807012155/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04012008/58/dakar-2008-dakar-cancelled-security.html |archivedate=August 7, 2008 }}

Bernat-Salles competed in the 2009 edition of the race, again alongside Lafeuillade and on a Bowler, in the Équipe Team 100% Sud Ouest,{{cite web

|url = http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/RIDERS/fr/equipage/412.html

|title = Équipe Team 100% Sud Ouest

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = Dakar.com

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100729150949/http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/RIDERS/fr/equipage/412.html

|archivedate = 2010-07-29

}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.sports.fr/cmc/auto-moto/200901/bernat-salles-vivre-une-aventure_209471.html

|title=Interview to Bernat-Salles on the 2009 Dakar (in French)

|author=François Quivoron

|date=2009-01-02

|accessdate=2009-09-18

|publisher=sports.fr

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421043615/http://www.sports.fr/cmc/auto-moto/200901/bernat-salles-vivre-une-aventure_209471.html

|archive-date=2010-04-21

|url-status=dead

}} ending the race in 73rd place.{{cite web

|url = http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/LIVE/us/1400/classement/CGA.html

|title = Dakar 2009 - final ranking (cars)

|date = 2009-01-17

|accessdate = 2009-09-18

|publisher = Dakar.com

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090904154013/http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/LIVE/us/1400/classement/CGA.html

|archivedate = 2009-09-04

}}

In June 2010, Bernat-Salles has been elected President of the French Handball National League (Ligue Nationale de Handball).{{cite web

|url = http://www.ff-handball.org/detail-news/article/philippe-bernat-salles-nouveau-president-de-la-lnh.html

|title = Philippe Bernat-Salles, nouveau président de la LNH (in French)

|date = 2010-07-26

|accessdate = 2010-11-15

|publisher = Fédération Française de Handball

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100710100525/http://www.ff-handball.org/detail-news/article/philippe-bernat-salles-nouveau-president-de-la-lnh.html

|archivedate = 2010-07-10

}}