Cheering the underdogs

France’s loss to Argentina has done a lot to throw the world cup off course as it faces the now very real prospect of a home team not making the knockout stage.

The home team’s defeat has however also done a lot to help make the tournament something special. Disappointed Frenchmen who shrugged their shoulders en masse on Friday night were back in the city’s bars the next day throwing their support to every underdog they could find.

The first two to benefit from the French cheers, Italy and Japan, were however simply overwhelmed. The scale of Italy’s defeat was not completely unexpected but perhaps un-hoped for. Much like their team, the French supporters can turn just as easily from the most passionate on earth to the most devoutly philosophical.

“The French, we are lazy”, the young Parisian sitting next to me in the bar tried to explain why his team is capable of such disparity of quality on the field. “New Zealand are not lazy.” Indeed the All Black’s destruction of the Italians was as complete a rout as possible. After several years of solid growth it is to be hoped that such a hiding will not leave Italy feeling they haven’t progressed since the last world cup.

Next it was Japan’s turn for the watering hole’s swelling crowd’s support. The Australian’s decisions to take shots at goal early on were roundly booed and every flying Japanese clean-out was vociferously applauded. Unfortunately for the crowd and the fortunately for the publican’s purse, the game lost its appeal in the second half as the Wallabies trotted away from their opponents and the patrons turned their attention to the bar.

“I won’t say you Australians are good yet,” my companion informed me. “Not until you play in the quarter finals will we see you play against someone good.” Luckily there were no Welshmen within earshot. There were however two of those rarest of rugby commodities, American rugby supporters, who were about to take their turn under the underdog spotlight
as their team lined up to face the might of England.

I am pretty sure that if a poll was held in France to decide the two least admired countries on earth then these next two teams to play would be the clear winners. To their credit the American travellers knew it and launched an assault of charm and good humour that, although contrasting well with one of the England supporter’s decision to stand up in front of
the big screen and point to the little picture of the 2003 trophy on his replica jersey, ultimately failed to win over my French mate.

“If at all possible, I would like to see both teams lose,” my now well inebriated and increasingly belligerent French friend said. “And by lots.”

Undeterred by the mathematical impossibility of such an outcome, he and his countrymen in that little pub, rather quickly found in the American players much to admire. Like the Japanese a couple of hours earlier, the Americans were ferocious in their play but unlike the Cherry Blossoms they had the size to make it count.

Where the USA played above themselves the English played well below what is to be expected of a Tier One nation. Again the English played without a backline despite the singularly exciting performance of their fly-half, Olly Barkley. Unable to capitalise on field position or superior skill sets the English were woeful and the French loved it.

When Phil Vickery’s dastardly attempted trip on an American player was revealed under the slow motion replay the Frenchmen erupted in protest. One of the locals made his feelings well known to the suddenly silent English contingent in the pub with a colourful spray. When translated for me I was surprised to find that such a melodious and seemingly eloquent outburst was little more than a back-to-back list of French swear words tied loosely around the general theme of a question of one’s parentage. The language of love indeed.

As the game wore on it became apparent that England simply did not have it in them to put away this American team. Given the vast financial divide that separates these two teams the American’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. They played an attacking game that was exciting to watch and contrasted markedly with the England’s tentative plodding.

Perhaps it is America’s inherent awareness of the need for a sport to be exciting to watch if it is to be commercially successful or maybe it was the Polynesian influence in the team that ensured the ball moved wide when it needed to. Whatever the reason, the Americans showed a commitment to exciting rugby and their passion and defiance against an opponent unwilling and unable to match their brand of rugby is to be rewarded.

On the strength of this performance the English will do well to stop the South Africans scoring fifty points on them when they next week. I know which side the French will be cheering for. This world cup has already become something special.

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