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UK's beef France needs to re-read recipe
Posted: Thursday October 28, 1999 08:35 PM
TWICKENHAM, England (CNN/SI) -- Never let it be said that the French are not optimists. Especially when it comes to the fortunes of their rugby union team. Entering Sunday's World Cup semifinal with runaway favorites -- New Zealand, the squad is naturally enough looking for any advantage it can muster against the All Blacks' juggernaut. However when it comes to suggesting the crowd may be on their side.....well let's say France has more chance of beating the Kiwis 100-0. Here's how the thinking of the French squad goes. As the tournaments' only survivor from the Northern Hemisphere, France is in some ways flying the flag for a region of rugby that's been drastically overshadowed by the southern giants of New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, since the inception of the World Cup twelve years ago. As a result of its proximity to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the French deduce that not only do they have the responsibility to defend the honour of their hemisphere at the home of English rugby, but they can also expect the supporters of their British rivals to rally behind them like brothers and sisters. "I think it is a good responsibility, because we are French and the match is in the British Isles," says Frenchman, Richard Dourthe. "Maybe because we are the only team of the Northern Hemisphere all the British, and especially the English people will support us. I hope that at Twickenham they will be our supporters because we need that."
So, let's get this straight. What the French want is for generations of rivalry, or in some cases, down right hate, to be put on the shelf for an afternoon, so that France can press their case to win one of the most covetted prizes in sport! Sacrebleu! Guess again Monsieur Dourthe. Quite apart from anything else, France is currently embroiled in a front page row with Britain over the fact that it won't buy British beef. According to the French, the alleged possibility that UK meat could still be contaminated with Mad Cow disease makes it too risky, despite British evidence claiming it's safe. British beef will not therefore be finding its way into the Bourginon any time soon -- a fact that, for some reason, has not exactly turned the Brits into Francophiles. And now the French want a favor. You know, timing is everything in rugby union, rather like in cooking actually, and the French request somehow seems a little off the beat. So while in some parallel universe the Brits might well lend a cheer to the underdogs in need, I'm afraid on this occasion, France might just be left to stew in its own juice. Terry Baddoo is a co-host of "World Sport," the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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