- Alastair Hignell
- 19 Sep 07, 06:19 PM
Versailles - Based with the England team in Versailles, it鈥檚 difficult not to get historical, and far too tempting not to draw parallels.
The vast chateau complex started life as a modest little hunting lodge before Louis XIV decided to make it the envy of the world.
The absolute ruler was so full of himself that he encouraged his subjects to think of him as the Sun King, while coming up with such modest, self-deprecating little sound-bites as 鈥淟鈥橢tat, c鈥檈st moi!鈥
Of course, England鈥檚 autocrat was only a knight and though is no longer in power he would surely approve of another Louis-like legacy on view in Versailles.
Continue reading "England leave history behind"
- Andrew Cotter
- 19 Sep 07, 04:25 PM
Murrayfield - Scotland's rugby team has certainly earned pass marks so far in this World Cup, but what about Scotland's national rugby stadium as one of the venues?
I don't think anybody would really disagree that in an ideal world (cup) this whole tournament would be taking place in France. But deals were done and backs were scratched, so how was the Parc de Murray experience for you?
There is a suggestion that Scotland might be considering a bid to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup, so you can imagine that there were concerns over the attendance and atmosphere in the Scottish capital. Everyone remembers with some shame the dreadful Scottish attendances during the 1999 World Cup.
Continue reading "Did Murrayfield get away with it?"
- Bryn Palmer
- 19 Sep 07, 03:55 PM
Paris - With all 20 teams in this World Cup having played two matches each 鈥 before kick-off 鈥榬ound three鈥 on Wednesday 鈥 how about some 鈥榟alfway through the pool stages鈥 awards?
Not the snappiest of titles I鈥檒l admit, but we鈥檒l revisit them at the end of the group stages, and again at the end of the tournament.
Do let me know who I鈥檝e missed out, which ones I鈥檝e got wrong, and your own nominations for further awards.
Continue reading "Best and worst of RWC so far"
- Tom Fordyce
- 19 Sep 07, 02:55 PM
Aix-en-Provence, Wednesday - Delightful though the home city of and (Emile, rather than Gianfranco) is, there was only one reason why The Bloggernaut was blocking its cobbled streets this sunny morning: the mighty were in town.
So far on this trip, we鈥檝e only heard distant rumbles of the favourites鈥 inexorable progress whilst chugging down autoroutes or perched in the stands at other games.
Continue reading "Star-struck by the All Blacks"
