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Tom Fordyce

Welsh fans in fine voice (85)

Nantes - Of all the scary sounds you鈥檝e ever heard - fingernails being scraped down a blackboard, two foxes fornicating in the street at midnight, the atonal singing of - nothing can compare with the noise of a hundred hungover Welshmen clearing their orifices in an echoing campsite wash-block at nine in the morning.

For those directly involved it was bad enough, but pity the 60-year-old Frenchwoman who was attempting to do her breakfast washing-up while being brutally serenaded by this furry-tongued squadron of obscene .

This was the weekend that the really began for all concerned.


walesfans416.jpgLast week, the campsites of France were full of middle-aged Germans playing volleyball and Dutch couples with matching wash-bags. This week, it鈥檚 men coated head to toe in red body paint while wearing nothing but green wigs, white Speedos and clutching a bottle of two-Euro vin in each hand.

The thousands of Wales fans who descended in happy hordes on the sleepy city of were never going to kick off their World Cup campaigns with a couple of and an early night, yet the performances of the Cymru crew over the weekend set awe-inspiring new benchmarks in what our Aussie friends like to call 鈥済oing hard鈥.

On Saturday, the night before Wales鈥 opener against , the streets and squares were rammed with men so squintily-eyed sloshed that many were having trouble remembering that walking involves putting one foot in front of the other in alternate fashion.

The mood was buoyant, the atmosphere bouncy. To the left, 10 men playing slow-motion touch rugby while wearing traditional ladies鈥 bonnets. To the right, five lads performing an a cappella rendition of in perfect three-part harmony.

By midnight on Sunday, with Canada just about tucked away after that nightmare opening 40 minutes, the pavements of Nantes were covered with the fallen bodies of those whose livers were refusing to process what their throats were sending down.

Not that anyone minded. This World Cup has started with the sort of vim and vigour that would have the organisers of cricket鈥檚 version sobbing quietly into their Earl Greys.

map_rwc_100907.gifThe stadiums have been full. The atmosphere has been electric. And there鈥檚 been enough bark and bite from most of the underdogs to silence those who said beforehand that the group stages would be pretty much a waste of time.

Back in The , campervan life continues in surreal, sticky-floored fashion.

It鈥檚 not every day you come back from the boulangerie to find a half-naked man from Llanelli using your power point to straighten his hair.

Ben, meanwhile, is close to crisis-point after working his way through his four pairs of undercrackers at a far faster rate than he had planned.

With his hair threatening to spiral out of control 鈥 quite literally 鈥 he鈥檚 also fearful that he may soon resemble the sort of stinky-trousered, sandal-wearing crusty that Mr Dirs Senior would like to see conscripted into the armed forces.

Today, our route is supposed to take us the many miles down to Bordeaux, and a brief night鈥檚 stopover before heading down to Toulouse for Wednesday鈥檚 wallop between Japan and Fiji.

Ben鈥檚 keen we stop off in en route. For a man who eats chocolate digestives at the same rate as a depressed Vanessa Feltz, he鈥檚 developing quite a taste for the finer things in life.

Tom Fordyce is a 大象传媒 Sport journalist travelling around France in a camper van with Ben Dirs.


Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 12:50 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • The D.S wrote:

How do all the campsites over there work? Are we going to be able to just rock up and grab a spot, do i need to actually organise anything, or is it simply too late and we will just have to make do with whatever we find?

  • 2.
  • At 01:21 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Ben Dirs wrote:

The D.S - Hello mate. So far we've just rocked up and got a spot. That was even the case in Nantes, which was mobbed with Welsh and where we were pretty much in the centre of town. Saying that, we risked that a bit and I'd advise giving them a bell wherever you plan to go. That said, you could just do what some Wales fans we saw did and lie on the pavement in a pool of your own vomit.

  • 3.
  • At 01:50 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Amos Spartan wrote:

Just reading your entertaining blog over lunch - although I worry that I won't enjoy the Twenty20 World Cup as much without you two - when I bit into a stick of KitKat which, rather than being the usual fine mix of chocolate and wafer, was just pure chocolate. Forget the French bottling it on Friday - can life ever throw up a finer surprise than that?

Amos

  • 4.
  • At 01:59 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • tomthepom wrote:

Nice blog. Moving swiftly on, some important beer advice for fans:

* In Lens on Saturday the catering facilities at the ground had no provision for large-scale dispensing of beer. The bars at our end of the ground had one beer 'hose' each, and hadn't bothered to pour any pints in advance of half time. Each one was poured at painstakingly-slow pace, with the guy using a metal spoon to scrape the excess foam off each one. They were 5 euros each for 500ml, less than a pint, and tasted strange - I subsequently checked and yes, Amstel Free is one per cent ABV, virtually non-alcoholic. If you wanted a soft drink, the staff were removing and retaining the caps from all bottles, presumably in a misguided and unnecessary attempt to stop people throwing them, but in fact it just made service even slower and frustrated punters who wanted to reseal their bottles for perfectly innocent reasons. This isn't the Reading Festival for gawd's sake.

I'm not going back to Lens and hope this problem isn't a feature at other grounds - what experiences did other fans have?

And one more thing, are the authorities going to sort out the match clocks on TV and at the ground so that 80 minutes means 80 minutes?

  • 5.
  • At 02:26 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Bobby H wrote:

I am liking the blogs and it sounds so much fun to be there that i am on way to Paris. Ok I am going to see my beloved England - world champions - battered by a Bock uprising but hey ho. The reason for me making the journey - I cannot stand another Match commentary by Mexted - legend on the pitch - muppet behind the mike. The ITV team are very poor - we even missed the kick off in the England game - and the referees always wait for tele! Eddie Butler is just as bad and John Taylor - well amazingly useless from player recognition to his poor knowledge of laws. So in the stadium at Stade Francais I wont be able to hear any of them!!Happy days

  • 6.
  • At 02:36 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • The D.S wrote:

Tomthepom

Re taking tops off... (drinks only unfortunately)

The same thing happened in the Caribbean for the cricket world cup. As you say it is supposedly to stop people using them as weapons but clearly doesnt really work. Dare say it will be the rule at all the grounds, just dont know how many of the sellers will actually do it.

  • 7.
  • At 02:53 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Mike wrote:

Tom, great blog, sitting in the office with a massive hangover after about 10 hours in the pub yesterday watching rugby, this has cheered me up no end!

  • 8.
  • At 03:04 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Le Provencal wrote:

tomthepom, I had the same experience in Marseille, which doesn't bode well for the quarter finals (if we get that far...) - 2 outlets in the Virage Sud with one tap each serving non-alcoholic beer at 5 Euros a pint. Luckily, the local hospitality around the ground and in Marseille's Vieux Port was spot on!

  • 9.
  • At 03:27 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Jonathan wrote:

Fobby H, Can't disagree with your sentiments on the ITV coverage.

  • 10.
  • At 03:55 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • owen gole wrote:

nice blog - is this all you do all day?

  • 11.
  • At 04:11 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • James wrote:

I was pretty shocked when watching the ITV coverage to hear them constantly going on about Ireland's relatively poor points difference from a match they should have easily won and how that might hurt their qualification if other teams have a better points difference. Do they not know that it is results between teams that decide standings ahead of points difference? Muppets!

  • 12.
  • At 04:15 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Joey Mallah wrote:

yeh totally agree about the ITV coverage - pile of rubbish.

Michael Vaughn - I'm confused, you appear to be moaning about the consumption of beer at a rugby match. Are you feeling ok?

  • 13.
  • At 04:16 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • nickc wrote:

Bobby H-you are totally right. And why have they got Jim Rosenthal presenting? The man knows nothing about rugby. They got rid of him for the F1 so why inflict him on us again? All the ad breaks mean that there is never any time for analysis from the pundits in the studio who actually know something

  • 14.
  • At 04:27 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Evan wrote:

Bring back Bill McLaren!

  • 15.
  • At 04:45 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Loving the commentary. Being stuck over here in the US with games difficult to find - only on one channel and not really in the news -at least this gives me a flavour of what is going on.

  • 16.
  • At 05:20 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • James wrote:

Wondering about the US coverage, im in San Francisco when the group stages finish, any suggestions on where best to catch the games, Ireland - Argentina for example?

  • 17.
  • At 06:39 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • cathryn wrote:

Mr. Vaughan, are you trying to imply that the great folk from the citys and towns don't enjoy a cheeky beverage at the rugby? For Gods sake, most people drink at sporting events regardless of background or nationality. If it offends you that badly, watch it at home with a cup of tea and a hob nob. I'm a 'taff village idiot' who loves rugby and a beer at the game yet wouldn't behave disruptively. Please do not judge an entire group of people on 5 drunkens behaviour!

  • 18.
  • At 06:55 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • tim wrote:

Rachel/James - re RWC in the US, best coverage is on mediazone.com it has live audio and delayed full games and highlights after 24 hours.
You can download and watch on the go too. COOOOOMMEEEE ONNNN Ireland!!!

  • 19.
  • At 07:03 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Tom Fordyce wrote:

1900hrs: Made it down as far as Cognac, where technological woes mean we'll crash for the night. The bottle-cap removing thing from the stewards was the same at the Wales-Canada match - we were told that some high-powered French dignitary was hit by a plastic bottle a few months back, and since they've failed to apprehend the culprit, they've clearly decided to teach everyone a lesson by making them spill their drinks for the duration of the tournament.

  • 20.
  • At 08:36 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Tommy - if only you knew which high-powered dignitary it was, then you could throw your bottle at him.

I hate regulations like that at rugby. It is a rugby crowd, there won't be anything like that going on at all.

Enjoy Cognac.

Ade

  • 21.
  • At 09:10 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Rob wrote:

Dear Ben,

I hope it's all going well.

Miss you.

Rob

  • 22.
  • At 09:11 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • sian wrote:

James
I watched the footy world cup in an Irish bar next to Hotel Nikko in San Fran - cant remember the name though.
I'd put a lot of money that they'll be showing the rugby as well......
Enjoy!

  • 23.
  • At 09:19 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Rick wrote:

Plastic bottle tops..... ohhh that must cause sooooo much damage to a person. I can understand banning glass bottles, but please why would a teeny weeny little bottle cap cause more injury than a full plastic bottle of coke! where is the logic!

  • 24.
  • At 09:26 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Hi Tom,

In your quiet moments of contemplation in between the matches and rest-stops, has either of you used the immortal line: "You know, there's no actual difference between the inside of a man's mouth and a women's mouth"?

Or are you saving that little gem up for the knockout stages?

Best wishes to both of you.

Peace out,

The Mooj

  • 25.
  • At 09:43 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Hello Ben and Tom 鈥 message from Victor Ubogu. Enjoying the blog. In fact I am into these things so much I have my own going which also includes comments from Mark Regan.

How about this for a deal. For a shameless plug and maybe link from your blog roll or comments etc to my blog at www.vultd.co.uk/blog I will get you a drink in Paris on Thursday night at a little do I am holding. Phil De Glanville and Matt Perry will be there too, but don鈥檛 let that put you off. Can鈥檛 disclose the location of the drink as I can鈥檛 cope with more than two smelly campers. I am new to this whole blogging world so don鈥檛 know if I have actually suggested something that self respecting bloggers should not get involved in. Hope to see you soon. Vic

  • 26.
  • At 09:46 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Felix wrote:

You have got to love it when a plan comes together Tom. Have a large Cognac for me.

  • 27.
  • At 09:46 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • HugoCortes wrote:

You have to realise that the French do not get the concept of drinking for drinkings sake. I was in Nantes and the bars and burger vans at the ground were overrun before and after the game.
If you are going to a game, it is good to get to the ground early but take a few cans rather than queue half an hour for a flat pint of fizzy.

  • 28.
  • At 09:53 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Chris the drummer wrote:

They were removing bottletops at the old Wembley stadium years ago - it's nothing new!

  • 29.
  • At 09:56 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Evan wrote:

Have a good one both! Wish I could be there sampling the atomsphere (and the alcohol) too, but I'll be in Cardiff on Saturday to cheer our boys onto victory against the Aussies!

Cymru Am Byth!

  • 30.
  • At 10:19 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Fijian Rugger wrote:


Go Fiji Go.....We'll give the Red dragons aru n for their money.......

  • 31.
  • At 10:27 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Cormac wrote:

James,

If you are in SF you could try a place situated in the Lower Haight Area called the "Mad-dog in the fog" There is always a good sprinkling of Irish,English and locals there. The beer is exellent and they do good pub grub.

  • 32.
  • At 10:42 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Ben Dirs wrote:

Big V! How are you sir? Always happy to help out a man who has served his country manfully and who could knock us out with one swipe of the hairy side. We will certainly give your blog a mention in our next entry. Unfortunately, we won't be able to make your bash on Thursday because we'll be making our way back from Toulouse to Bordeaux for the Ireland-Georgia match. You can buy us a Victor-Juice down in Marseille for the quarters or back in Paris for the semis or final. Keep in touch and good luck with the blog.

  • 33.
  • At 10:55 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Tom Fordyce wrote:

The Mooj - my quiet moments of contemplation so far have tended to be be filled with these sort of thoughts:

1. Has Ben been wearing the same pair of shorts all trip?
2. Do we own very similar shorts, or is he wearing mine?
3. If he's wearing mine, then whose shorts have I got on?

  • 34.
  • At 11:01 PM on 10 Sep 2007,
  • Chris wrote:

Me and my mate were in Nantes on the weekend for the game...unlike Lens by the sounds of it, I thought they were pretty well organised, apart from the queues to get into the ground before the game when they were painfully slow before the stewards gave up doing security checks with the game only 10 minutes away. The square in the middle of town with the huge screen and seating for the other games was brilliant too, really enjoyed it and am looking forward to going back for the Fiji game! Wish I was travelling round like Ben and Tom tho, jammy bloggers!

Campervan? Booze? France? Digestives? I'm doing the wrong blog...

  • 36.
  • At 01:47 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Steveo wrote:

For those in the US interested in the games - Setanta.com are showing them. They are live for about $10, or you can pay the monthly fee of about the same amount and watch them "as live" a few hours later.
They are also on a local channel in New England (called Versus). I just watched the England game, complete with adverts every 5 mins! The misery...

  • 37.
  • At 01:49 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • ilyas khan wrote:

The welsh fans in Nantes pushed the bar just that bit higher in terms of pure enjoyment and joi de vivre. i saw the CYMRU boys, but you missed The Legends four kids wearing 70s jerseys with EDWARDS, JOHN, DAVIES, BENNETT inscribed on their back and each a caricature spit of their heroes. If that wasn't enough they met up with a group who were dressed as superheroes, including a very hairy Wonder Women, a decidedly unspiderish and pauchy Spiderman, Superman, Darth Vader (in full regalia), Captain America and god knows who else. It led to the best photo of what turned out to be a most brilliant day in the Stade de Beaujoire.
Super organiation, the crowd were given welsh or canadian flags, two bands to stir up the atmosphere, a massive welsh presence, perfect weather, it was the most thriling away game I've been to for awhile as a spectator. I just hope some of the regional bosses took away some lessons because by golly the French not only know how to play the game they know how to enjoy watching one.

PS If you want the picture of the Legends posing with the superheros I would be happy to post it to you.

  • 38.
  • At 02:33 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Rick wrote:

Am enjoying the Canadian TV coverage here in Toronto.
Glad the Canadian crew gave the CYMRU boys a scare in their first match.
In Canada non-alcholic beer is 0.5%. At least you lucky drinkers over there have 1% beer !!

  • 39.
  • At 02:47 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • RIchard wrote:

I'm a Scotsman keeping up with the RWC, via Setanta, and the Internet, in Antigua, Guatemala along with a Frenchman called Eric.

Off back to Scotland on Saturday for the Scotland vs Romania game next Tuesday.

  • 40.
  • At 05:28 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Mark wrote:

"Hello, and welcome to ITV's coverage of the Rugby World Cup. I'm Jim Rosenthal, an before tonight's game between the hosts France, and Argentina kicks off, we're going to be talking about World Champions, England. We could talk about France and/or Argentina, or look forward to the tournament as a whole. Hell, we could even look at the other 'home nations' in the tournament. But why would we?

So without further ado, let's meet the pundits who'll be with us for the tournament, because as a broadcaster who otherwise doesn't touch rugby with a long stick, you viewers without Sky mightn't recognise them unless you were flag-waving in Trafalgar Square in November 2003.

Martin....your view on England please..?"

Quality broadcasting from ITV. Do they even know that there are countries other than England in this tournament?

  • 41.
  • At 07:28 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Merlinho wrote:

Rick,

I think that the theory behind removing the bottle tops is that then you cannot throw them full. Obviously being hit by a plastic bottle full of water will hurt more than an empty one :)

  • 42.
  • At 08:18 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Peter wrote:

It's not bottles filled with water they worry about ;)

Large screen at Stade de France -
Just for those supporters 鈥榥ot in the know鈥, because there鈥檚 been a lot of questions raised on the blog regarding places to watch the games when you don鈥檛 have tickets 鈥 there鈥檚 a large screen right next to the Stade de France at the RugbyColor Village in Saint-Denis.
It鈥檚 free entry, with food and booze for sale, free music concerts before and after matches and having visited the rugby village in the centre of Paris this weekend, it鈥檚 better than that, nearer the 鈥榓ction鈥 and it鈥檚 open from Thursday to Sunday.

  • 44.
  • At 08:55 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Fiona wrote:

Tom

You must sort the short situation out immediately. This could harm you in the future if not the present.

How on earth do you expect to have a good night out, few beers, bit of crack, chase some....birds, with everyone looking at your shorts and wondering, knowing that they could be a few days old and ......... worst of all they could be ...... da da daaa........Bens???

Sort this out man......

  • 45.
  • At 10:03 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Oliver wrote:

Good blog, keep it up, and what a great first weekend of rugby. Namibia for second place (after Wales)!
On the subject of the ITV coverage, did anyone else notice when the commentators said England "were down to 10 men" after Dallaglio got a yellow. If only they had been, the Americans would have taken them apart. Cymru am Byth, I'll be in Cardiff on Saturday and I'm looking forward to more laugh-aloud comments from France.

  • 46.
  • At 10:08 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Phil Thomas wrote:

Hi Lads,

Just got back from Nantes after the weekend. Well organised trams coming every couple of minutes on match day to and from the stadium. No-one realised that this is a bad way to transport 38,000 people. Seats weren't as good as I thought they would be for the dosh but great crowds sat amongst the French.

Nantes isn't really geared up for Rugby. Run out of beer on Thursday, lots of places shut on Sunday and shops weren't open either (normal in France but you thought some of them might have made an effort), even the cafe/pizza place by Duchess Anne didn't bother to open.

If you're there then the Irish bars have a few screen sets up outside or the main square by Bouffey tram stop has a big screen and about 500 welshmen with seats. I've never seen a barman look so harried and sweating while he was getting orders thrown at him by his waitress.

I think they are just used to Footie fans as they make you throw away plastic bottles and beer before going in and search everyone!

  • 47.
  • At 10:21 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Peds wrote:

Bars in San Fransisco - should imaging you'd get to see it at O'Reilleys which is at Green & Stockton in the North beach district...great place!

  • 48.
  • At 10:38 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Gazza Acks wrote:

Excellent Blog.

Going to Nantes for England Samoa in Campers - haven't got a site booked, any pointers on where to be for access to town & stadium?

What are drinking hours, are bars all nighters and how get from Stadium to town?

  • 49.
  • At 11:47 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Ben Dirs wrote:

Gazza Acks - Hello mate. There is a decent municipal campsite in town called (I think!) Camping du Petit Ports. Like most municipal campsites, it's signposted as soon as you reach the outskirts of town. You might be best booking ahead, although we managed to get a pitch by just rocking up. Boozing seemed to go on pretty late in the centre of town, as in most European cities, and there is a very good tram service which takes you from the campsite into the middle of town. Also, if you stay at the campsite, they will tell you where to get a shuttle bus from into the stadium. Hope that helps and have a belter...back to staring at my Apple Mac in the hope it might work...

  • 50.
  • At 11:56 AM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • James wrote:

Cheers for the Rugby bars of San Francisco hints. I look forward to sampling the delights of each of them. My work training trip just got interesting!

  • 51.
  • At 12:05 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Rhod wrote:

Just now seen the blog and top marks for it....just what i needed to be honest. Three hopeless Welshmen are getting the Eurostar down for the quarters and wondering if anyone has any good advice for any campsites down there????????????

Ta,
Rhod

  • 52.
  • At 12:07 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Gazza Acks - "francois mitterand" tramline (green) goes every few minutes from the city centre to the stadium - takes about twenty minutes.

i would STRONGLY advise anyone going into the stadium to look to take your seats early - it was carnage; everyone got a pat down and a bag search, leaving huge crowds still outside the stadium with ten minutes befroe kick off. we started queueing at 1pm, made our seats 50 minutes later.

OTOH getting out was a hell of a lot easier.

  • 53.
  • At 12:59 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Allan wrote:

Re Post 48:

Was there on the weekend for Wales Canada in my camopervan

The campsite (Le Petit Port) is right next to a tramline stop that will you to the middle of town in about 10 minutes and the trams are really regular. Apparently they run till 2.30am. We started looking for a taxi at about 3.30am, even though the bars stay open till at least 6am, and it probably took an hour to find one which didnt go down well, maybe we just looked in the wrong place.

Taxi aside we had a great day/night watching the big screen in Place Bouffey. There are at least 4 bars there so if you think you are waiting to long for the waitress service just go into one of the other bars ( there were no queues inside.) It didnt seem to matter to anyone which bar the beer was purchased in.

On the Sunday, we walked along the river to the ground, probably took about 50mins but was just what we needed to blow some of the cobwebs away. The campsite guy said there was a free bus but we fancied the hike.

One thing I would say though, you should probably phone/email the campsite just in case as it seemed pretty full to me, but there again Wales probably have a much bigger following than England at the moment :0)

  • 54.
  • At 01:14 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Gazza Acks wrote:

Thanks Guys for info. on Nantes,
will try to book the site, and get to stadium early.

  • 55.
  • At 01:39 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Ben,

Just thought I'd send you a quick message to wish you luck & let you know that your video blogs will be shown on the big screen down at the Campion RFC before the World Cup Final infront of a partisan crowd of Old Boys.

You will therefore be approx 9' tall in your tit apron & practising your marigolded slo-mo boxing.

Auctore Deo.

  • 56.
  • At 01:46 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Bex wrote:

Hi,
We are off to Nantes in 8 days for the wales and england matches.
Did anyone stay at the Belle Riviere campsite in Nantes?
Is it any good, close to the ground/town.

  • 57.
  • At 02:38 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Dartfordians Maca wrote:

Is anyone else in the position of being forced to miss some of the less glamourous games because their girlfriend is complaining that she hasn't seen them and she wants to go to the cinema? I've tried so long and so hard to interest her in the game. I can get her to the Sevens no sweat but watching Argentina Georgia is beyond the pale as for as she's concerned. She'll be glad no games are on on Thursday. It would be a long old journey from London to Doncaster for her if there were. That said I do lover her otherwise I would just throw a strop and refuse to leave the house.
Another gripe. Why can't we have the World Cup on during the summer like with the football. It would be out of season. No one teams would lose players for six weeks and most importantly I wouldn't get barked at by coaches for missing matches and training because I'm supporting my country and enjoying the fiesta that is the Rugby World Cup.
Rant over.
I would like to say that traveling to Lens for the England USA game was amazing. The atmosphere was great (shame about the match). I've always gotten along well with French people but I was surprised to find young children shouting "Allez Angleterre" as my flatmate and I walked through a housing estate in Lens. I found it quite endearing and the locals were most helpful with directions.
Aside from the result the one negative thing was that I couldn't get as "MERRY" as my flatmate as I was driving. I hope to find that Nantes is a Anglo-friendly when I turn up for the Samoa game the Saturday after next.

  • 58.
  • At 03:02 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Welsh Girl in England wrote:

Oliver (post 45):
I heard the "down to 10 men" comment too - my housemate and I were very amused (and it stopped him shooting me looks for my ever-so-slightly-partisan support of the USA).
The ITV coverage is RUBBISH! Especially if you happen to be supporting a home nation other than England. The Beeb would NEVER have put home nations' games on digital. Please please please don't let them win the bidding war in 4 years time!

  • 59.
  • At 03:12 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • nickc wrote:

# Dartfordians Maca I feel your pain re: the girlfriend.

  • 60.
  • At 03:31 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Dartfordians Maca wrote:

nickc

Do you think there is some kind of rugby appreciation school we could send them to? I shall soldier on safe in the knowledge that I will be dressed in some odd wig and moustache affair come the day of the England Samoa game. Why do I let my flatmate talk me into these things?

  • 61.
  • At 03:48 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • nickc wrote:

Dartfordians Maca- as far as I am aware there is no such thing but I like your thinking. I smell a potential business opportunity.............. Looking forward to the Samoa v Tonga bosh fest on Sunday. Watching it in the Walkabout in Putney so hopefully there will be a islanders there to liven things up

  • 62.
  • At 04:02 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • rhys wrote:

what you write about welshmen makes me ashamed - why the hell can't they do 4 part harmony when there are 5 of them? - ymlaen cymru (and the players also)

  • 63.
  • At 04:26 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

I've read the article at the link I've given. I like the idea of a B World Cup. Perhaps a good idea would be to use the 12 teams that don't make the quarter final stages and have them thrash it out in true Rugby fashion in plate and bowl competitions. Semi final then final for the bowl. Quarters, semis then final for the plate. Or is my enthusiasm for the game getting the better of me?
Personally I'd like to see this. The dead days between the cup matches would be filled in and I wouldn't get shouted at for missing games at the weekend.
I am a realist. I don't expect this to happen. The so-called minnows have played very well. The Portguese were smiling even after 70 minutes. The USA made the World Champions look awful. If the wider rugby community wants to see the game improve money is needed. A second tier tournement at the finals would generate more capital, which should go to developing the game. it would create greater exposure and it would also give the teams who aren't likely to win some silverware to chase.

  • 64.
  • At 04:31 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

nickc

I've convinced some non-rugby appreciating females that the shorts are shorter than footballer's. The muscles tend to be bigger. The game is actually shorter. Finally the choice of booze is often greater, and can be consumed whilst watching as opposed to football. Crowds are also friendlier and often more family orientated. They also make fitted rugbyshirts now for ladies if they don't like the looser cotton ones. What's not to like?

  • 65.
  • At 04:32 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Welsh Girl in England wrote:

nickc and dartfordians, it's very simple - you just need to get her to appreciate the newstyle tight fitting lycra kit that everyone's wearing.
Some of us will watch for the game, and even know the rules. For the rest, there's ogling the players (much like many a male attitude to the women's football world cup!)

  • 66.
  • At 05:01 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • P for Prop wrote:

Brilliant blogging, keep up the good work, just wish we could have you covering the Twenty20 at the same time.

  • 67.
  • At 05:45 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Phil Thomas wrote:

Buy her the new Stade Francais calender. I picked one up for my one of my sisters on the weekend and had a mini scrum of checkout girls/women in the Carrefour wandering over to look at it before they finally let me pay for it.

Expensive though and demoralising for us mere mortals but I guarantee she'll be converted to Rugby.

  • 68.
  • At 05:54 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Harry's Gal wrote:

Couldn't help but feel the need to add a comment in support of us gals, having been following rugby for many a year some of us do know the rules and enjoy the game for what it is. Was in Lens at the weekend enjoying the french hospitality if nothing else. In view of home nations performances could be pursuaded to offer a little support elsewhere - the French 'dieux du stade' calender may have swung my support their way!

  • 69.
  • At 06:34 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Louise wrote:

Note to Uncle Ben: your 7-year-old niece is following events closely. Keep it clean...

  • 70.
  • At 07:10 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Seanius wrote:

To add to the comments about ITV. At the start of the Georgia v Argentina coverage, the camera panned to some Georgian fans who had their national flag facepainted on - to which the presenter announced "..and even some England fans are here.." He clearly didn't know that though the Georgian and English flags have a red cross in the middle, they are notably different.

About the Rugby, Stephen Jones just won his place back, and he did it with the majority of the Welsh public prefering Hook. This guy has a lot of character and if selected as captain again, will lead this team well.

  • 71.
  • At 07:53 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Tez wrote:

Re: 24 very shocked and irate.

Blogmeister - you let that through but not my innocent joke about s***p s**g**s

  • 72.
  • At 08:30 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Will H wrote:

The Welsh fans are among the most loyal and patient in the game. Being Welsh I follow my country, but I'm not as enthusiastic as some fans. Rugby is very big over here and one of the very few things we're good at! Winning the Grand Slam in 2005 was a fantastic achievement for us all. The fans are the reason why Wales can compete against the best in the world. Playing Australia at home on Saturday will be a huge advantage for us and if we can't beat Australia Saturday then we won't beat them for some time. The Welsh fans are a patient lot, I mean being 17-9 down to Canada in the second half was bad enough but they carried on singing and supporting, only to be rewarded with a fantastic 42-17 victory, with a little help from some substitutions!

  • 73.
  • At 08:39 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Gareth Thomas wrote:

What a weekend, i traveled alone and the fans were great. The game could have been better. The atmosphere in the squares qas excellent.

  • 74.
  • At 08:56 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Tez wrote:

Could you lads please stuff the Aussies? I think all the "Home" countries would love that.

  • 75.
  • At 09:31 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • magooagain wrote:

hi all.
was at the ireland namibia game in bordeaux.same here in that the beer was crap in the ground and top dollar in the town.top town to look at but that was it.totally none prepaired for us paddys,and we were not on form ,(same as our team).
But hey ho i am back there on friday.top tram system,and who knows we could win the group!

  • 76.
  • At 09:39 PM on 11 Sep 2007,
  • Wallace wrote:

James

re Watching World Cup in San Fran. Mostly all games are live in Setanta sports, go to the web site pick North America and Setanta Premium enter the following Zip, 94101 and it will list the pubs with this service in San Fran. Also pub next to the Nikko is probably Johhny Foley's on O'Farrol(just of Union Square.Look out for the lady folk singer on Tuesday nights(she's not all she seems).Fiddlers Green is also a good bet.Going back to Scotland next week to take in the New Zealand game, no tickets yet though!

  • 77.
  • At 09:02 AM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Welsh Girl in England and Harry's Gal. I am fully aware that women enjoy rugby, some of my closest friends are female rugby fans. There were plenty of female rugby fans in Lens. I even work with a female rugby player. We have been known to have most in depth conversations on the subject. I was merely lamenting the face that I had to go to the cinema. In fact this never occurred due to the film being sold out. I got to see a worthy Georia side make Argentina huff and puff their way to the bonus point.

With regards to the fact a number of sides now where "fitted" shirts. I have been asked why I don't look like that? Official answer, I am not a professional. I do not train for several hours a day and do not have the support of a trainer and medical staff. The real answet being I drink too much beer after a spending an afternoon rolling round the rugby pitch. Training tonight only let miss another match at the weekend. My mate is getting married, how dare he do it during the World Cup.

  • 78.
  • At 09:58 AM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • Ben Dirs wrote:

Dave McEwan - Hello son. Listen, having been party to some of the other stuff that's gone on in that clubhouse down the years, I'm not too worried. Auctore Deo.

Louise - Apologies, it wasn't supposed to be how it sounded...

  • 79.
  • At 10:39 AM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • Nev wrote:

Hold on chaps the 大象传媒 are funding you 2 having a blast in France and you can't even manage one posting a day between you.......what is going on?

Nev

  • 80.
  • At 10:40 AM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • Chris the drummer wrote:

Just wondered wy the backing to your blog videos was an Italian tune....?!!

  • 81.
  • At 11:33 AM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • Meilir Ellis wrote:

I was also in Nantes and spent 7 days camping through France prior to the game. We even managed to get let in to watch the bois train in St Nazaire.
The atmosphere in Nantes was great especially as I was dressed as Barry John along with JPR, Merve Davies, Gerald Davies and Gareth Edwards. Absolute comedy and would definately recomend going down the fancy dress route in Nantes. Locals and fellow welsh fans loved it.

  • 82.
  • At 12:48 PM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • Sardis Supporter wrote:

Could I revisit the "unique" coverage of RWC 2007 provided by ITV? Does anyone know how much longer these clowns have the broadcasting rights for. I'm obliged to watch their pictures but I refuse to listen to their "expert" commentary. My preference - turn the sound down, get the cordless headphones and listen to Charlo et al on Radio Wales. Believe it or not, I even enjoyed listening to Dawson's summarising on the France v Argentina game on 5Live and we all know the high esteem in which he is held on the other side of the Bridge!

  • 83.
  • At 06:21 PM on 12 Sep 2007,
  • tim the excile wrote:

how is the accom in marseille. have left it late after the frightener against canada??
Can you tell me the best place to stay to soak up the atmos as i now live in scotland for my sins & miss all the lads from swansea. Flying down early on sat 6 october & back on the 8 oct if let out of france!! haha. Do you know if better to stay in marseille or go as far as Nice??
Need help.

Many thanks.
Tim The Mad Welsh

  • 84.
  • At 10:44 AM on 13 Sep 2007,
  • Robin Ellis wrote:

I was JPR Williams in that fancy dress crowd as posted on 37 and 81 (moderator..any chance Ilyas khan could email it to me?) and as someone who spent a year studying in Nantes I have to say I'd never seen anything like the atmosphere that was there this weekend. Their newspapers were full of praise for the Welsh and Canadian fans, and for the friendliness and good humour which they're not used to seeing as a big footballing city.

I have to say on their part that their entertainments and organisation were tremendous - big screens for those without tickets, public entertainments, and several dozen public transport officers on hand to help the fans and tourists. The Kiwis have a hard act to follow in 2011, especially remembering some of the truly terrible organisation I saw on the last Lions tour. Well done Nantes and the French!

  • 85.
  • At 01:01 PM on 13 Sep 2007,
  • youri wrote:

Hi Guys, Love the blog and especially the comments on the welsh fans. Originally from Nantes but having lived in Wales for many years, I will be back in my home town with my rugby club Betws RFC on the eve on the game vs Fiji and I can't wait. We are hosted by "Le XV de L'erdre" who play their rugby a stone's throw away from the stade de la beaujoire and we will play a friendly on the friday night followed by the famous "3eme mi-temps" all night! We hope to get some support from the Welsh fans if they can still stand up at 6pm. Find us on

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