Marseille, new land of the oval ball?

The French XV has arrived in Marseille where it will play its third match of the Rugby World Cup against Namibia on Thursday September 21 at 9 p.m. This is the third time that the two teams have met in the World Cup. The match will take place at the Vélodrome, the temple of football and Olympique de Marseille, which will be sold out, as it has been since the start of the World Cup with more than 63,000 spectators. The city is taking to the game of rugby… To the point of becoming a land of oval balls?

>> Rugby World Cup: we experienced the communion of English, Argentinian and Scottish supporters in Marseille

In the Old Port, flags in the colors of the World Cup flutter in the wind. The rugby village is set up on the quay, opposite the OM brewery, and the city’s buses display small flags, reminding us that Marseille is taking up rugby for two months… or almost. “Marseille is the city of football, it’s in the DNA of the citybelieves this Marseillais. Toulon is the city of rugby in the sector and Marseille of football. The young people here only like football.”

“Put in the means” to become a rugby city

Despite everything, the Marseille city beats to the rhythm of the transhumance of supporters. It hosts four group matches and two quarter-finals. This does not displease Nabil, dressed in the colors of OM: “Frankly, things are happening in Marseille with this World Cup, things are going very well with the tourists. In the future, I believe there will be a few more rugby enthusiasts.”

However, it is difficult for Noah and Lenny to envisage Marseille becoming a rugby stronghold: “We should have a Marseille team in the Top 14, have a Marseille team at the forefront to make young people want to play.” “We just have to do what we can to make people want it, and then it can become a rugby city.” Because the city’s two best rugby clubs play in Federal 3, the equivalent of the seventh division.