![]() ![]() It constantly exposes pieces of the Olmec, Mezcala, Maya, Nayarit, Colima, Jalisco, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Aztec cultures. It focuses on unique works, which stand out for their rarity and quality, mainly from Mesoamerica. The Gallery strives to select only the best of the best in its field. His expertise covers Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. When the graceful, fragile Mermoz faces up to the All Blacks it may be better not to mention his family connection or flying wheelbarrows.Founded in 1970 by Santo Micali, the Galerie Mermoz specializes in Pre-Columbian Art. When Jean was worried about the state of the engines on the planes he was flying over "The Line," the perilous postal route over the Andes, he said: "Ask me to fly anything, even a wheelbarrow, but on one condition – that it's solid." He died not long afterwards when the rear propeller of his Latécoère 300, "La Croix du Sud," broke off and sliced through the fuselage. It is the sort of thing that might be whispered in the ear of a wannabe Sonny Bill. He returned to the cockpit and gave an impeccable demonstration of controlled flight. "We don't need acrobats here, we need bus drivers," he was told. When Jean applied to be a pilot with the aeronautical firm Latécoère, he showed off during his test flight. But there must be something in the genes. And the quotes that go with his life are better than anything Maxime could manage three days before meeting the All Blacks. Jean was a cousin of Maxime's great-grandfather. Both flew with Aéropostale – later Air France – in the 1930s, opening up routes over South America, and both would die in plane crashes, Mermoz in 1936 and Saint-Exupéry in 1944. Mermoz is a famous family name in France, because of the pioneering aviator Jean Mermoz, a contemporary of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the pilot and author of Le Petit Prince. In senior rugby his way into the Toulouse first team was blocked by Yannick Jauzion and Florian Fritz, so he left for Perpignan. This is not a strong rugby area but Toulouse had their scouts out and recruited him at the age of 15. Now 25, he was born in Epinal, capital of the Vosges department in the east of France. He is a graceful, gliding player smooth and speedy. "What will it be like, Maxime, playing outside Parra who is new to the position, and inside your co-centre, Aurélien Rougerie, who is also a new partner?" "Not in as much danger as Morgan Parra's," somebody else adds. "But if he tries to play like that his life will be in danger." "He wants to be Sonny Bill," somebody whispers. He can do everything." He is on the record as saying he is an avid fan of Sonny Bill Williams and describes what he likes about the All Black three-quarter: the size, the power, the trick passing. Carter is a "great player, to be respected. But over two months, Mermoz had worked alongside the player who pulls the All Black strings.īut Mermoz gives nothing away. Seconds before the end, Carter went down with a partially ruptured achilles tendon and that was the end of his sojourn in France. Carter was playing in only his fifth game, but had already made an impression, and in this particular match in Paris had slid a kick behind the Stade Français defence for Mermoz to score, leaving the scores level at 13-13. The All Black outside-half was on his sabbatical at the club Mermoz joined from Toulouse at the start of the 2008-9 season. There is the short time he spent alongside Dan Carter at Perpignan. His fragments are not just bits, but little gems. He will play against New Zealand on Saturday, his presence barely mentioned such has been the stir surrounding the selection of Morgan Parra at outside-half.īut Mermoz is important because although the word "fragile" all too easily attaches itself to him, the general impression is that if he is fit he plays. He had what he describes as a "banal" game in France's 46-19 victory. But then he was declared fit and played against Canada. He missed the opening game in Pool A here against Japan. ![]()
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