Culture of Rugby in France

The crowd came to cheer on the Stade Toulousain on Place du Capitole, the 12th-time French rugby champion.

Culture of Rugby in France

Culture of Rugby in France

In Mont-de-Marsan, 480 children from Landes primary schools are competing in the rugby world cup final. Sporting competition but also educational: they had to learn the geography, politics, economy of the country they represent. Factual images alternating with the interviews of Régine LACON, departmental pedagogical advisor and Caco BENIZAN, teacher in Tyrosse.

Culture of Rugby in France

Happy, spontaneous, Pierre DOSPITAL, pillar of the XV of France answers an interview with verve on his activities and passions. Interview alternating with factual images of rugbyman animating a sports column in Basque at Radio France Pays-Basque; posing with country hams and singing in a restaurant a traditional Basque song.

Culture of Rugby in France

Pierre DOSPITAL, Pascal ONDARTS, André DARRIEUSSECQ, three Basque pillars of the XV of France, talk about the origins of the Basque physical and mental force. Pierre DOSPITAL comments on Basque games that develop a certain morphology and taste for challenges, followed by interviews with Pascal ONDARTS and André DARRIEUSSECQ.

Culture of Rugby in France

In a TGV row, Landais and Girondins fans meet to watch a match of the XV de France. In the spirit of rugby, songs, alcohol, charcuterie and good humor are at the rendezvous! Factual images alternating with interviews with Jean-François BARRERE, coordinator of the trip and Jean-Marc FURLAN, former footballer.

Culture of Rugby in France

The French rugby team at 7 follows a training course in La Rochelle to prepare for the next international competitions and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Jean Pascal BARRAQUE, winger, Manoel DALL'IGNA, winger and coach Jérôme DARET take stock of the team’s level and performance.

Culture of Rugby in France

Rugby can be practiced in sports studies section, general or technical education is supplemented by 6 hours of sports practice per week. The principal of the Lycée de Ussel, Jean Marie RAMAT, explains that the pupils concerned are in boarding school and that their academic results are roughly equivalent to those of the other students of the school. The coach, Noël BAUDRY and coach Gérard PICOLO are aware of preparing the future executives of the French rugby federation, but also high level players. Some young rugbymans have already been noticed and entered into national teams or international competitions. The report is completed by an interview with a 5th year student from the sports section study.

Culture of Rugby in France

Thirteen senior rugby teams came to participate in the 10th edition of the International Rugby Tournament of the Dieppe Papys. English, Scots, Romanians and Normans, among others, clashed around the oval ball and met for the "3rd half"... The meeting between French and Scots and the general atmosphere of the tournament are commented by players and spectators, including Jacques FERRER, captain of the team "Ze blue Brothers Rugby Band" and John of the team "Selkirk" and Frédéric ELOY, organizer of the tournament.

Culture of Rugby in France

Valérie, 22, took over her grandparents' farm in Pouzac in the Hautes Pyrénées. During the week she works on the farm and during the weekend she plays rugby. She plays as a second line in the Saint Orens team which plays in the first division. His team was champion of France in 1990.

Culture of Rugby in France

Les Lucioles is the name chosen by the Lille amateur team made up of family members. One of the players explains that it was after a challenge from their children that she started. They took to the game and never stopped. Their coach and the spouse of a team member say they admire their commitment, good mood and willingness. As for the children, they are more doubtful: one did not know that women could play rugby and the other confesses to hide to his comrades that his mother makes rugby so as not to "beat the shame".

Culture of Rugby in France

Rugby is becoming increasingly popular with young people. The Nice club has formed a team of cadets, which can integrate children from 10 years. The club director explains that there is no danger for these young people to play like their elders.

Culture of Rugby in France

At the rugby school of Mont de Marsan, the training of young rugby players is provided by former rugby players, such as Fernand Cazenave, former international. The journalist films the training and the explanations of the coach on the different techniques and phases of the game: the change of direction, the face to face, the change of rhythm, the pick up of ball, the pass and the plating.

Culture of Rugby in France

In a nursery school in Arnouville lès Gonesse, in the Val d'Oise, the director, with the help of the physical education teacher, trains children in the practice of rugby. She explains that 5-year-old children can practice this collective sport and incorporate some simple rules. She tries to show that it is possible to offer kindergarten children something other than psychomotor exercises in a playroom. The enthusiastic children ask every week for the rugby sessions.

Culture of Rugby in France

Since the professionalisation of rugby in 1995, the level of French rugby has improved, but the gap between amateur clubs and professional teams in the Top 14 has widened. Hagetmau’s team in Les Landes plays in Fédérale 2. In the 1980s, the team had joined the first division for four seasons. Currently, the best players trained by the club are systematically recruited by formations with greater means. The budget of the Hagemau club, a village of 4,500 inhabitants, does not exceed 250,000 euros, which is far from sufficient to reach the first division. Only large cities can have the necessary budget to access the Top 14. The journalist collects interviews with Jean-Pierre DUMARTIN, co-chair of the club, Nicolas PONS, player, Jean-Charles DAUDOU, co-chair of the club, and Serge LANSAMAN, mayor of Hagetmau.

Culture of Rugby in France

Once a week, children from the surrounding municipalities go by bus to the Peyrohade rugby school. The children, waiting impatiently for the bus, talk about their training, friendly meetings in the region and in Paris. The president of the rugby school explains that a few years ago, with Gaston Dubois, when they saw the young people at a standstill on Thursday afternoons, they came up with the idea of bringing them together to introduce them to rugby, the king sport of the region.