Rugby: The World Cup comes to France
In 2007, 10 major French cities will host the 6th World Cup of this favorite French sport. A festive spirit will reign in France in fall 2007 when this nation devoted to sports hosts the 6th World Cup of this favorite French sport. Millions of avid fans along with the merely curious will have the opportunity to discover France from a whole new angle.
From September 7 to October 20 of 2007, rugby fans will flock to France when the country hosts the 6th World Cup in 10 of the largest cities in the country, reaffirming its status as one of the largest players on the rugby world field. Paris, Saint Denis, Montpellier, Lyon, Lens, Saint-Etienne, Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseille and Toulouse will witness the face-off of 20 of the most prestigious teams in the world.
Born in the English town of Rugby at the beginning of the 19th century, rugby rapidly won France over, and in 1872 the first club was created in the town of Le Havre, in Normandy. Very quickly, the sport migrated south, and over the years a tradition of rugby was developed, solidly anchored in the culture of the south of France, with the Languedoc-Roussillon region as the fiefdom of French rugby.
With more than 35,000 seats, Montpellier’s Mosson Stadium, made famous by the soccer World Cup in 1998, will be the site of encounters between teams as prestigious as the United States, Australia, South Africa, Fiji and Samoa. This regional capital will host four major matches, including two of the American team, as well as the much anticipated derby of the southern hemisphere between Australia and Fiji. This World Cup will also be an occasion for Montpellier to introduce its new athletic complex, Yves du Manoir, which will be inaugurated a few weeks before the World Cup. This 12,000-seat stadium in the oval shape of a rugby ball will be exclusively reserved for team preparation and training.
The city will resonate with the energy of each country, especially Australia, whose national team will be based in Montpellier. From this regional capital, rugby lovers will be able to take advantage of the proximity of other cities with strong rugby traditions, visiting BГѓВ©ziers, Narbonne and Perpignan to experience the matches or after-parties. Giant screens, an amateur rugby tournament and beach rugby demonstrations will be held in a region where rugby is above all else linked to celebration and wine. Visitors will be able to stroll down Rue de la Soif, a Montpellier artery completely dedicated to the tasting of local wines.
This 6th World Cup will also be an occasion to explore the numerous other attractions this region has to offer. From Montpellier, you can also catch a TGV to watch the United States play at Saint-Etienne, England play in Nantes, New Zealand play in Lyon or even Argentina play in Marseille.
www.rugbyworldcup.com
www.sunfrance.com
www.ot-montpellier.fr
August 31, 2007
Posted in: France