Tas Baitieri

Bortolo "Tas" Baitieri OAM (born 17 September 1958) is an Australian rugby league administrator, former professional player in the 1970s and 1980s, and coach in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for the Penrith Panthers and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Australia, and Paris Châtillon XIII in France. He was later the coach of the French national side.

Tas Baitieri
OAM
Personal information
Full nameBortolo Baitieri
Born (1958-09-17) 17 September 1958
Australia
Playing information
PositionProp, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1977–81 Penrith Panthers 15 0 0 0 0
1982–83 Canterbury-Bankstown 45 1 0 0 3
1985 Penrith Panthers 2 0 0 0 0
Paris Châtillon XIII
Total 62 1 0 0 3
Coaching information
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1985–87 France
Refereeing information
Years Competition Apps
1998 International 1
Source: [1]

Baitieri was a significant contributor to the global expansion of rugby league during the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.[2][3]

Playing career

Playing in the forwards, Baitieri played with the Penrith Panthers and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Australia, spending the off-seasons in France playing for Paris Châtillon XIII.[3]

Coaching career

Baitieri was appointed as coach of the French national side in 1985.[4] He was dismissed from the role in 1987 amid economic issues for the French Rugby League Federation.[5]

Several years later, Baitieri returned to Australia and coached and player-coached the Cumberland College of Health Sciences (now a faculty of the University of Sydney) Rugby League team in the NSW University Rugby League Competition. The Cumberland side won the 1991 2nd division grand final (defeating the University of Newcastle) in their first season under Baitieri and the side was subsequently elevated to the first division where the "Cumbo Cunnies" finished grand finalists in their first season in the top division. At the end of season 1991, The Cumberland Rugby League Club announced that the Best & Fairest player award would be renamed and called the Tas Baitieri shield in recognition of the efforts and leadership by Baitieri toward his young charges and the esteem in which he was held by players.

Administration and development roles

In 1985, Baitieri attended the RLIB meeting in Paris as a translator for French Rugby League Federation chairman Jacques Soppelsa.[3]

In 1993, Baitieri was appointed as Victoria Rugby League's development officer by the Australian Rugby League.[3][6]

Baitieri was the chief executive of the short-lived French Super League club, Paris Saint-Germain.[7]

In 1998, Baitieri refereed a match between Japan and Lebanon, both playing in their first ever international.[8]

He is also a development officer for the Rugby League International Federation.

Baitieri was a development officer for the National Rugby League until he was made redundant in 2020.[9]

In 2022, Baitieri was the team manager of the Italian national team at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.[10]

Personal life

Baitieri's son, Jason, is also a professional rugby league footballer.[11]

In the 2023 King's Birthday Honours, Baitieri was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to rugby league through administrative roles.[2]

References
  1. "Tas Baitieri". Rugby League Project.
  2. "International Prioneer Tas Baitieri Receives Order of Australia Medal". International Rugby League. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  3. Walter, Brad (12 November 2018). "Five nations to 55: Baitieri's role in league's international growth". NRL.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  4. "From Penrith to Paris". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 July 1985. p. 21.
  5. "Crisis saps French morale". Canberra Times. Canberra. 15 March 1987. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  6. "Rugby League Times". Canberra Times. Canberra. 14 May 1993. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  7. Hadfield, Dave (29 March 1996). "Chamorin has heart to stir Paris romance". The Independent. UK: independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  8. "International Window - Japan v Lebanon November 15th 1998". IRL. 15 November 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  9. Ewart, Richard (12 November 2020). "Pacific rugby league community in shock after their NRL go-to-man is made redundant". ABC. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  10. "Ex-Kangaroos boss joins Italy coaching staff for upcoming World Cup". rugbypass.com. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  11. Lewis, Daniel (3 May 2010). "Family affair has a French connection". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
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