Robert Samatan, nicknamed Bob la Science was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer. He debuted for T.O.E.C, 178 m tall and weighing 76 kg at his debut, later he played at left wing for SU Agen. A very powerful player, he is the forerunner of the modern wingers' playing style. The first player to be inspired by his lively and alert techninque was Jean Dauger, who played for Bayonne. On March 1934, dismissed from SU Agen, he was part of the rugby league team of the "Galia’s Boys" who made a memorable tour in England under the management and captainship of its creator Jean Galia. His status as a Pioneer did not qualified him as a French International. Opting for rugby league, he integrated the Roanne XIII squad where Max Rousié and Jean Dauger played alongside him in 1938. In 1951, he comanaged the first French tour of a team sport in Australia and New Zealand. In his civil life, he worked as wholesaler in the alimentar sector.
Biography
On March 1934, Robert Samatan made an interview for L'Auto after switching to rugby league where he denounced the hypocrisy and the shamateurism within the French Rugby Federation since several years. Playing then at the Toulouse lyceum, he received an offer from Annibert. Annibert promised him a success at his exams and numerous advantages and Mr. Furst of Stade Toulousain also proposed him 200 francs per month, which convinced Samatan to sign. After some months, his salary quadruplied and numerous clubs offered him a better salary like Quillan and Carcassonne, but it is finally Agen through Mr. Armand Bastoul's intermediary which obtained his signature for 25.000 francs and a situation, which later convinced Maurice Porra to join him at Agen for 1.500 francs per month. He decided to take part of the creation of a French rugby league team with Jean Galia. Appointed by the latter tocoinvince some players to switch to rugby league, he faced overbids from from rugby union clubs which were yet amateur in principle, such as USA Perpignan.
