Almost two years later, the Stade de France sang again for its national rugby team. Long deprived of rugby and party, the supporters of the XV of France decided to kill two birds with one stone, Saturday, November 6, in front of the Parisian enclosure.
More than three hours before kick-off already, the few bodegas adjoining the stadium gates were full. If the doors to access the stands did not open until 19h, the supporters, often in groups, still enjoyed a few drinks.
“We came from the Basque Country with some friends, explains Nicolas, at the counter of the well-named bar The third half. Yesterday evening I was at Jean-Dauger (the Aviron Bayonnais stadium) and we left this morning. We just made the round trip for the match, we are leaving Montparnasse tomorrow. It’s our first time in Paris! ” Basque flag on the shoulders, Nicolas will closely follow the match of Maxime Lucu, replacing at the kick-off, who could take his first steps with the jersey struck by the rooster.
If the tricolor flags, blue jerseys or other rooster caps squat around the stadium, some Pumas jerseys denote. Facundo’s (photo, right below) is clearly visible: despite the cool weather in Ile-de-France, his jacket is wide open. But the Argentinian is as proud of his jersey as of his career as a trainer: “Tonight on the lawn, there will be several players that I coached when they were very young. Facundo Isa, Santiago Cordera, Pablo Matera, I knew them when they were children. It is a great pride to play them for Pumas “, the fifty-year-old is enthusiastic.
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While traveling to Amsterdam, the latter took advantage of a detour to Paris to follow his national team. His two evening friends had a more hectic journey. Facundo and Sébastian, Argentinian and Uruguayan, live in Rosas, Spain. After a first stopover in Perpignan, the two amateur players in Spain then took a bus to reach the capital. A hell of a trip to attend a Pumas match again. “We have already been to Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England and tonight is our first game in France. I really hope we will win,” Sebastian smiles.
A little further, as the greatest rugby night classics resonate, such as The hunter by Michel Delpech or the Pena Baiona, it is another title, less known, which is chanted at will by a small group. Equipped with a large flag, this small collective connects “Come on Thibaud”, for Thibaud Flament, last called to the Blues. “We are friends of Thibaud, says a young man. We are here to attend his first selection. It’s huge that he’s wearing the France team jersey today. ”
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It must be said that the course of the young man is not common in rugby. After growing up in Belgium, then in England, the lanky second-line turned professional late. He even discovered the French championship … in 2020.
“He’s always been good but we didn’t expect to see him at such a level. We had already attended the European Cup final last year to see him (Thibaud’s Toulouse Stadium was crowned champion, Editor’s note) and you couldn’t miss her first cape. I hope we can see him after seeing him after the match, in any case we will have a party for him! “
45 minutes from kick-off, the Blues enter the lawn to warm up. Around them, the Stade de France is gradually filling up. #FRAARG @francetvsport @franceinfo pic.twitter.com/w9IS9yMDDN
– Elio Bono (@eliobonobo) November 6, 2021
It is in a completely different atmosphere that Thibaud Flament and his teammates arrived in Saint-Denis, around 9 p.m. Concentrated, the Blues advance to the first game of their fall tour. The first in front of their audience at the Stade de France for (too) long months. Like their supporters, 50,000 tonight in the stands, the players also want to treat themselves to a nice party.