Ray French

{{short description|GB & England dual-code rugby international footballer and sports broadcaster}}

{{for multi|the baseball player|Ray French (baseball)|the American printmaker and artist|Ray H. French}}

{{EngvarB|date=August 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|first = RU

|name = Ray French
MBE

|fullname = Raymond James French MBE

|image =

|image_size =

|position = {{rlp|SR}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|12|23|df=yes}}

|birth_place = St Helens, Lancashire, England

|height =

|weight =

|club1 = St. Helens

|year1start = 1961

|year1end = 67

|appearances1 = 204

|tries1 = 10

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 30

|club2 = Widnes

|year2start = 1967

|year2end = 71

|appearances2 = 123

|tries2 = 6

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 18

|ru_club1 = St Helens RUFC

|ru_year1start =

|ru_year1end = 1961

|ru_appearances1 =

|ru_tries1 =

|ru_goals1 =

|ru_fieldgoals1 =

|ru_points1 =

|teamA = Great Britain

|yearAstart = 1968

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 4

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|teamB = Lancashire

|yearBstart = 196?

|yearBend =

|appearanBesB =

|triesB = 0

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 0

|ru_teamA = England

|ru_yearAstart = 1961

|ru_yearAend = 61

|ru_appearancesA = 4

|ru_triesA = 0

|ru_goalsA = 0

|ru_fieldgoalsA = 0

|ru_pointsA = 0

|retired = yes

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-french/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=McDermott&submit=Go&c=GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213133731/http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=McDermott&submit=Go&c=GB|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 December 2013|title=Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}-->

|updated =

}}

Raymond James French, MBE (born 23 December 1939)[https://web.archive.org/web/20090812061655/http://timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_league/2009/08/my-entry-3.html Ray French takes his cup final leave] is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. French played at international level in both codes. He won four caps for England in rugby union in 1961 as a lock forward, then moved to rugby league as a {{rlp|sr}} and played for his home town club, St. Helens, before going on to play at Widnes.

After training as a school teacher,[http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyworldcup2007/story/0,,2194663,00.html Ashton's long road to Paris, via Leigh and Tyldesley] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222110502/http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyworldcup2007/story/0,,2194663,00.html|date=22 December 2007}} The Guardian – 19 October 2007 he taught at Cowley School in St. Helens, Lancashire, where his local counterparts included Brian Ashton who taught at Stonyhurst College.

French was a commentator for the BBC on rugby league on both television and radio, beginning his television career in 1981 following the retirement of Eddie Waring. He is well known for his range of colloquialisms. French is regularly heard on the Rugby League show Try Time each Thursday on BBC Radio Merseyside giving his views on the state of the game in his forthright way. He retired in 2019.

In 2010, French received the Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award to mark his contribution to the game.{{cite news|last=news.bbc.co.uk|title=Wigan's Pat Richards named 2010 Man of Steel|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/9038552.stm|access-date=10 September 2012|newspaper= BBC Sport|date=27 September 2010}}

Also President of the St Helens Past Players' Association, French was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to rugby league.{{London Gazette|issue=59647|date=31 December 2010|page=16 |supp=y}}