They call themselves Les Bleus (the Blues), have a Gallic cock in their emblem and are one of the best teams in the world. At home, this wild-caught team has the support of 65 million people and influential sponsors – Mastercard, Emirates, Asahi, Meta, Societe General…
If France loves rugby, then the southwestern part of the country literally adores the game, because it belongs to the local culture. When the World Cup kicks off on Friday, entire villages in the south-west of the country will be sitting in front of the television, drinking pastis, wine and celebrating until dawn when Les Bleus win their opening game against New Zealand.
In the country, you will find places associated with rugby that take your breath away. The love for this sport is so strong that there is even a chapel dedicated to rugby in the pine forest of Les Landes, on the banks of the river L’Ardour, which flows through the south-west of France. Inside the ‘Notre Dame du Rugby’ there are hundreds of framed rugby shirts and behind the altar a cabinet with photos and jerseys of rugby players. A shrine for the souls of local men who died or were injured playing rugby.
If you look up, you’ll even see a stained glass window with the Virgin Mary crouching at her feet and the Baby Jesus throwing a rugby ball. The prayer framed next to the altar probably best demonstrates the importance of rugby in the south of France.
“Virgin Mary, who taught your child Jesus to play on your knees. Maintain maternal supervision over the play of these adult children as well. Be with us also in the great scrum of existence, so that we may win the great game of life and be an example, as on the pitch, of courage, enthusiasm and team spirit. Amen.”
It operates in 1700 clubs in France, the number of licensed players has increased significantly in recent years and reaches approximately 400,000.
Part of identity
They say that in the south of France, rugby is more than a sport, it’s a religion. Rugby is considered a beautiful game. And for many cities, it is an important part of their culture, history, and identity.
Rugby was introduced to France in 1872 by the British and before long the first French national team was formed. At first it was played mainly in elite lyceums, but the expansion of clubs caused an important cultural shift. The game was adopted by the working class. This was the beginning of “le rugby des villages”. Each city formed a club with loyal members to fight the neighboring rival cities.
Rugby and money
Hosting the men’s Rugby World Cup can generate up to €3.4 billion in total economic impact, while direct spending by visitors to the host economy can reach €1.3 billion.
In addition to the huge benefits for the host country, the financial success of the Men’s Rugby World Cup allows record sums to be invested in the development and growth of the sport, ensuring it is accessible to as many people as possible.
From its humble beginnings, the Men’s Rugby World Cup is now considered the third largest sporting event after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. According to a report by EY, RWC 2019 was the most economically successful Rugby World Cup of all time, with almost five billion euros in economic impact.
At the Men’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, match and match video content on World Rugby and Rugby World Cup social platforms generated over 2.1 billion views.
Today, France has two main rugby competitions: Top 14 and Pro D2.
The Top 14 is the highest national league and, as the name suggests, has 14 teams. The first competition was held in 1892. Pro D2 is the division directly below the Top 14, which was introduced in 2000. There is a relegation system between the Top 14 and Pro D2, meaning that at the end of each season the top two teams from Pro D2 advance to the Top 14 and the last two teams from the Top 14 are relegated.
The strongest clubs of recent times include Toulouse, La Rochelle, Lyon, Stade Francais in Paris, Bordeaux Begles…
The Rugbyrama app
France also has a special newspaper “Midi Olympic” dedicated exclusively to rugby, and the matches are broadcast by Canal+, France 3 and Eurosport.
There are also mobile apps like “Rugbyrama” that fans can use to follow all the French rugby teams, players and competitions. There are live updates and commentary for those who cannot physically attend the match.
They say that rugby in the south of France is not only watched, it is lived and breathed. Men, women and children alike embrace this sport for its ferocity, beauty and humility.
One moment they are singing a hymn with emotion, and the next they are watching muscular giants locked in a fierce battle like modern-day gladiators. For example, captain Antoine Dupont is a real star and the French (but not only them) consider him one of the greatest players in the world and of his generation.
Third half
Of course, in France, no one will ever forget the so-called third half, the time after the game where, unlike football, players and fans of both sides mingle, share experiences and show their battle wounds.
When the team does well, the whole town celebrates with it, and when it doesn’t, the whole town suffers.
The fans are passionate and many travel great distances to support their boys. Most teams even have a band that attends all home and away games without any problems.
“Rugby in the deep south-west of France is a passion that has expressed and fueled the rivalry of the region’s villages and small towns for a century,” wrote The Guardian some time ago.
The hunger for victory will be immense in France. The country has competed in every Rugby World Cup since its inception in 1987, qualifying for the knockout stage each time. She reached the final three times, but lost to New Zealand in 1987 and 2011, and to Australia in 1999.
It is the second time hosting the WC. The first time was in 2007, when, as in 2003, England beat her in the semi-finals.
