Polly-Vous Francais?: Rugby Fever

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Rugby Fever

Excitement is building as France gears up for the Rugby World Cup, which will start in Paris on September 7. This will be a thrilling few weeks, no doubt.

However, you could say that everything I know about the game of rugby could fit inside a Nespresso capsule. It used to be that my sum knowledge of the sport was from a bumper sticker I spotted occasionally in Massachusetts:

Ha-ha, very funny, but hardly a fair summary of the game. My prior rugby-viewing experience has consisted of a few sidelong glances at games on television, and I just couldn't make sense of what was going on. To the uninitiated like me, it all seemed like random fumbling around. Sooo, in order to be au courant, I decided to educate myself about the game, and les regles du jeu. I'll be studying hard, so when le Tout Paris is tossing about phrases such as une mêlée, un ruck, un maul or un hors-jeu, I'll sound vaguely knowledgeable. You can too, by checking out these sites, one in English, one in French.

The Mairie de Paris is encouraging the rugby buzz, promoting our fair city as Paris, La Reine du Rugby. In addition to the current exhibit on Rugby at the Hotel de Ville, the City of Paris will be offering viewing of the matches on giant screens in several location, including outside the Hotel de Ville, at Trocadero, and at Charlety in the 13e.

If you want to watch the matches in more intimate settings with some rugby aficionados, there are alternatives to the massive outdoor crowds. Of course Paris has no shortage of lively cafés and sports bars with TVs. Additionally, I have discovered a few that are authentic rugby hang-outs.

My favorite is Café Le Recrutement in the 7e arrondissement.

This is a rugby fan's café. Rugby memorabilia on walls and ceilings, ties, balls, and pinneys from winning teams, photos and more. Congenial atmosphere.