Good. The first game of the season that I will report on. Here I am, 5 degrees Celsius, at 19.30h. A little early, by anticipation. But I am not the first.
In fact, there are a couple of hundred men before me, sharing a wine, pastis or an ordinary beer. There’s a guy on the field, as well.
He is the first one out by a long time. He is practicing his kicks. Ten with the left. Ten with the right. Ten with the left and so on. I watch in awe.
All kicks are spot-on.
If kicked back, all balls are caught. The guy is in total concentration. Almost like a zen-master. Ten with the left, ten with the right.
What is going on? I am in the South of France. It is Bourgoin-Toulon, kick-off 20.45. The guy on the field is Johnny Wilkinson.
The big attention is not on Johnny, though. In fact, he is on the bench.
The Argentinian star Contemponi will play at ten for Toulon. Toulon is, in fact, a team built on and around some big names.
Bourgoin is more of a middle team with some real local heroes, but with a stand-off that will miss 3 penalties tonight and cost them the game.
The big attention is not on Contemponi, either. It is on Tana Umaga. The New Zealand star will make a second comeback and play on the wing.
Tana Umaga and I have many things in common.
For example, he has been captain of the All Blacks and is 37 years old. I have been captain of RC Delft, The Netherlands, and I am also 37 years old.
The crowd cheers.
I am getting a little annoyed by the ten with the left, ten with the right routine that is still going on. Surely if anyone would practice that much, they would become a good kicker, wouldn’t they?
Time to sip a wine and have a look around.
To my right, a friendly Frenchma has brought his son. They are fans of the local team, but I am quite sure they like the local sausages as well.
The father must be 130kg and the son catching up. The father’s ears are the stuff legends are made from.
The woman on my left is not related – she’s in Toulon colours – but roughly the same size.
I use “roughly” to mean something else as well.
Just after the first maul, Tana Umaga gets the ball unexpectedly and is tackled by just about every Bourgoin player on the field in the same split second.
He gives away a penalty. The crowd cheers.
From the kick -off Umaga chases the ball. It bounces. Not in his hand but just behind a second row player from Toulon. The ball bounces on.
Umaga cannot take the ball, but as he is slipping to the left, smashes the second row player. The lock goes down. The ref has not seen it, he was following the ball. I like it. Umaga is not to be toyed around, he shows.
It now starts to rain water and ice and the wind blows the stuff under the roof.
This Williams kid has not been at ease all day. While everybody around him is putting in his best efforts, he seems to try to look tough, smile a little, and generally hang around like a real cool guy.
Looking at his size, you wonder what he is doing at number 12. He probably does not read the game well enough to be at full-back. But also not good enough to be like Jauzion.
He reminds me of Farrell, but at least that guy did his utmost best.
Williams has a lot to learn. There is a 37 year old playing his heart out, not far from him.
The second half is spoiled by the wet grass and there is a lot of kicking. Johnny comes on the field. Strangely enough, he seemed more at ease practicing his kicks.
Bourgoin have a chance to win, but take the silly decision to scrum a penalty while they have been weaker come scrum-time all night. They lose 9-13.
I myself have some thinking to do as well. Wilkinson’s star is fading. Best player on the field by a distance was Toulon’s Argentinian number 8, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe.
His play was superior to just about everybody.
Ten with the left, ten with the right. It’s history. Is it all about raw talent nowadays, not training?
After I drink few wines, I decide there is still some training to do. For me, for Tana. Just to stay fit. And especially for the Bourgoin number ten. To not let his team down like that ever again.
Derm
Roar Guru
Maybe try a game in Biarritz or Bayonne instead if you want a brilliant day out. Anytime from March onwards if you're particular about weather. Lots of colour, singing, camaraderie, and a rocking stadium. The singing of the local anthem for Bayonne is sung so rousingly and with such passion by the entire crowd, it makes your hair stand on end even if you're a foreign neutral. Brilliant weather, medium to hard ground, a well positioned pitch, and the game flows back and forth. A couple of cool beers beforehand, plenty of French snacks, and families out enjoying themselves. A great day out - if you ever visit France - make sure you catch a game.
brad
Guest
Real French rugby is a complete contrast to the champagne legend that is potrayed by the media. It is very forward dominated and heavy emphasis on set pieces and kicking. It is brutal and the big men are the real stars.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Excellent post mate. Highly enjoyable and look forward to the next one
Mike G
Guest
thanks zw, I enjoyed your article, very funny stuff!! I've been trying to catch the Top 14 on Foxtel in Australia & I must say, some of the games are really interesting but for the most part, they seem to involve a little too much kicking for my like (&, I suspect, a number of other Aussies). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the read, put a smile on my face (I'm at work and needed it!!) Cheers Mike