A train from London arrives in Cardiff on a gray and rainy Friday afternoon like Great Britain has in store. Then, even before leaving the station, in the middle of a few locals coming and going for their work, a small troop, scarves and blue jerseys hidden under parkas, sings a Marseillaise which makes the corridors tremble. A few hours before the kick-off of this decisive match between Wales and France, for the 4th day of the Six Nations Tournament, the match has already started. The Blue supporters, carried by three first convincing victories and on the way, they hope, to the Grand Slam, are already advancing almost on conquered ground.
“This team is really fun to see! enthuse Stéphane, Laurent, Éric or Christian, a group of fifties all dressed in tricolors. We hope to come and see the last match before the Grand Slam! This group of longtime friends, who came from Lyon, Nice or Toulouse to meet up and party, did not forget all the paraphernalia, from wigs to swimsuits, even including beards and glasses, all blue-white-red. “We came to Edinburgh two years ago, says Laurent. France had lost but here we feel that they have made further progress. We hope they will win, because we are going to London tomorrow to see England-Ireland, we can play the two teams, otherwise we will be very small… ”
The main street of Cardiff, in the immediate vicinity of the large Principality Stadium, better known by its old name of the Millennium, has been completely closed to traffic since midday. As usual, for each game of the Tournament, the Welsh capital stops and only lives for its red players. However, this year, the heart is less there for fans of Leek XV, defending champion. Rarely, the stadium has not completely filled up and around 10,000 seats remain empty.
“Cardiff, my favorite destination”
“Even the Welsh people we met didn’t have too many hopes,” says Jean-Michel, 62, who came from Charente-Maritime with his family. It’s true that we have fun with this French team. But we had already come regularly to follow the Tournament, since 1989, even in the years when things were going less well. And Cardiff is my favorite destination, with this atmosphere and this stadium in the city centre. It’s tradition, it’s a party, it’s nice, fraternal, you can come with women and children… You don’t find that in any other sport. »
Jean-Michel has also taken his daughter Nastasia, 25, for the first time, to finally discover these trips for the Tournament which have rocked her since she was little. So what does she think of this first family trip to Cardiff? “It’s really worth it,” she smiles, before entering the lair of the Millenium. Victory or defeat, the 10,000 or so French supporters will not soon forget this great rugby celebration.
