This was quite an experience, especially for me an callum - boys used to the odd depressing outing to a cold, wet, black and red Murrayfield, often with little rugby or atmosphere to warm us up! In shorts and t shirts, we joined the pink mob heading toward the stadium. Our e-tickets had been printed off the internet and just had to be scanned – a nifty initiative. Our cheapest seat in the house were still fairly good and the stadium began to fill up. It was about half-full in the end, 10,000 people. And most wearing some sort of merchandise, and alot of that was pink. In fact, even the posts and post protectors were pink!
The atmosphere was quite different from any rugby match I’d been at. There were alot more families, and alot more women. And a quite different sort of woman to those you’d find at an Edinburgh game. The sight of burly men strutting around with tight skinned pink t shirts was quite disconcerting, especially when one very fat grey-haired balding man had just bought a new pink t shirt from the merchandise store and was keen to put it on immediately.
There were pink flags on the seats and I couldn’t help myself from giving it a good wave like the crazy fans around us. We were actually very close to the drum section and they started songs, most of which involved “allez Stade” or “allez Paris”. The rugby was equally exuberant with defence taking a back seat. La Rochelle played their part, only having just been promoted.
The guy next to us asked us where we were from. Upon hearing our answer he then said something about Stade always having a Scottish player. His tone of voice indicated that this was something he wasn’t too chuffed about. Hugo Southwell had just scored a lovely try aswell!
I was made to think when the away team was being read out as I thought I recognised a name. Turns out it was the name that appeared on alot of the mail I was sorting through the other day that had accumulated in our mailbox. The player used to play for Racing Metro and lived in our flat a couple of years back! Not sure I’ll be getting his mail back to him though.
A great Friday evening and one I’ll be looking to repeat.
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