Ferrasse was a fearsome lock, who helped Agen to a French Championship in 1945. But his great legacy was as an administrator, beginning with his refereeing of the 1959 final between Racing Club and Mont-de-Marsan.
He became President of Agen in 1965 - staying in the role for 20 years - and three years later took on the Presidency of the French Federation, a post he held for 23 years.
Ferrasse was also President of the IRB from 1979-87, overseeing the conception of, and build-up to the first Rugby World Cup and presenting New Zealand with the trophy after they had beaten France in the inaugural final. He oversaw France's accession to full IRB membership in 1978 and he was also the first Frenchman to receive the Vernon Pugh award from the IRB for his services to development of rugby. In 1990, still close to the players, he created the Foundation Albert Ferrasse designed to manage the aftermath of serious accidents associated with rugby.
Ferrasse was also a great sympathiser with South Africa during their isolation, once famously declaring on French TV that he 'knew nothing' when asked about South Africa's occupation of Namibia. He was also afforded the Legion d'Honneur by the French state.
His iron-fist style did not always win fans in France, but there is little doubt he contributed immensely to both France's position in the game today and to the controlled onset of professionalism. His is a great legacy left to the game.
"A part of French rugby has gone," said current FFR president Pierre Camou.
"As the French team prepares for the World Cup in New Zealand it is important to remember that it was Albert Ferrasse who paved the way for the first World Cup in 1987 in New Zealand. That just adds to the sadness."
RFU President Willie Wildash added: "Albert Ferasse made a huge difference not only to French rugby but the game as a whole both through his commitment to the development of the game and to player safety. His work with FIRA and the IRB was recognised by all. He was a friend to many across the world, was a fantastic ambassador for rugby and will be hugely missed."
Fiji's World Cup preparations lurch from the catastrophic to the disastrous still. Having lost several key players to personal reasons, been threatened by the NZ immigration control about military-connected players, and seen their Pacific Nations Cup undone by a glut of red cards in Japan, the union now appears to be in a frantic last-gasp scrabble for money.
While the government - which came to power in a military coup a couple of years ago and is thus the source of all the friction for the NZ immigration office - has been generous enough and the IRB has contributed as well, the team still has no sponsor, and the drubbing in New Zealand a fortnight ago is hardly making them an attractive proposition.
It's a shame. Fiji were the revelation of the French World Cup, but drawn as they are in the pool of death with Samoa, Wales and South Africa, it seems they are destined to take a couple of steps backward after the huge step forward.
South African fans have grave cause for concern this week after the hammering in New Zealand, but the return of 21 players from their secret training camp in Rustenburg ought to put a few things right (did we say training camp? sorry, we meant rehab centre, it definitely was not a training camp) over the next three weeks or so.
But of perhaps the most concern going into the tournament will be the form of fly-half Morné Steyn. Steyn has slipped tackle after tackle, has taken nearly all of his ball either standing still or shuffling sideways, now he is even shanking kicks at goal.
Steyn has been the go-to man for South Africa for yonks now. He kicks the goals, he hoists the up and unders. He used not to be averse to scoring a few tries and making a few breaks himself, especially when South Africa's runners had created the spaces inside.
But without him, South Africa look stuffed. Butch James is still a question that needs answering, Patrick Lambie's undoubted talent needs more time to develop before he can be the answer, Frans Steyn is not sophisticated enough. There are no other realistic options we can think of.
Peter de Villiers said at a press conference last week that Steyn was looking at his last chance for World Cup selection, which is a horrible thing to say when your number one fly-half for so long is going through a dip in form - the pressure is perpetually etched all over Steyn's face at every moment. Moving him to full-back just before the match hardly gave him room to answer that threat either.
Somebody perhaps needs to get inside Steyn's head a bit and look after him more, for if he does not get out of the slump in time, it looks as though the Boks may go about defending their world title without a proven number one fly-half.
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