Long live the fans!

Les Bleus have been defeated by the English team. Bravo to the English players!

Yesterday, in the late afternoon, I was on la place de la Comédie. I took photos of fans who were going to watch the game on a giant screen. I guess they must be very much disappointed today. Although I know that will not really comfort them, I want to pay homage to them.

I talked with Rose-Marie, who was with the long-haired little boy, Josué. They showed me the birthday invitations cards they have made together, shaped like rugby balls. Josué's birthday will be on next Saturday, that is the day the World Cup final will take place.

Australian rugby fans

The Australian rugby fans have arrived! I met them. At least I met some of them yesterday. Very nice people. I was the first French person who talked to her. I told one of them he should make a wish.... They are from Sydney and they were drinking Australian beer in an Australian bar (not the lady, since, as you know, ladies do not drink beer :-))

Good luck to the Wallabies who will be playing against Fiji this afternoon!

(Actually I support all teams!)

Welcome Australians

Montpellier loves the Australian rugby team and the Australian tourists who, by the way, have not arrived here yet.

The rugbymen are back at the hôtel Sofitel. I saw their bus yesterday but I did not see them.

Next time!

Taking the photo was a hard task as the electronic board was blinking (flashing?). I have posted the "black" photo to prove it! :-)


Montpellier adore l'équipe de rugby australienne et les touristes australiens qui, soit dit en passant, ne sont pas encore arrivés ici.

Les rugbymen sont de retour à l'hôtel Sofitel. J'ai vu leur bus hier, mais je ne les ai pas vus, eux.

La prochaine fois !

Ca n'a pas été facile de prendre la photo, parce que le panneau électronique clignotait. Je poste la photo noire comme preuve de ce que j'avance ! :-)

Vive les Wallabies

Yesterday as I was riding my bike downtown I fell upon the Australian rugby team that was leaving Montpellier for Lyon where I think they will play tomorrow night. They will be back!

I was all excited (in French I would say I was as excited as a flea; I don't know the origin of the expression "être excité comme une puce"). At least as much excited as the young people near me (very nice guys by the way). Fortunately enough I had my camera with me. The photos are not great photos. I should have jumped over the bridge that separated me from the hotel entrance but I feared my backbone would not stand the effort :-)) Therefore I just ran up and down and up and down the pavement.... And that's just what I got. Which is great, since everybody seems to be envious here.

Tonight France will play against Argentina in Paris.

The program is on Pickiboon's blog.

Huge reception for the Wallabies

Rugby World Cup (2)

This is the second and last set of flags. I hope I have not forgotten any country. The red flag is the flag of Tonga. The lady is from Tonga too. She is probably famous in her country but I don't know who she is.

4 matches only out of 42 will take place in Montpellier:

• Mercredi 12 septembre à 14h : Etats-Unis/ Tonga
  
• Dimanche 16 septembre à 16h : Samoa/ Tonga
• Dimanche 23 septembre à 14h30 : Fidji/ Australie
• Dimanche 30 septembre à 20h : Etats-Unis/ Afrique du Sud

I need to look for Tonga, Samoa and Fidji (Fiji in English) on a map. I know where South Africa is located as I have been there twice. By the way, Nelson Mandela arrived in Paris today.

The Wallabies trained in the Stade Yves du Manoir here yesterday. My friend Evelyne took a lot of photos of the training for me and sent them this morning. I will post some of them. But why did the Wallabies "train" in Montpellier since, apparently, they are not going to play here?

This is a funny article, online on the site of The Independent:

How to survive the Rugby World Cup in France (or just find the nearest good watering hole)

Rugby World Cup (1)

The Rugby World Cup will take place in France this year. It will start on next Friday.

The Wallabies played yesterday in Montpellier (training). I had been invited to attend the match by my friend Evelyne but as I was at the museum I had to turn down the offer. Sigh.

When I left the museum I took a few photos of the flags on the lampposts of the Place de la Comédie. They are the flags of the countries whose teams are going to play in Montpellier. There are a few other ones....