Le Rugby

     "Vanity, all is vanity," I said after watching the French TV newscast this morning. Apart for a short section on the Pope's visit to India, it was all about the French defeat in the Rugby final. Pictures from Cardiff were followed by stories from many parts of France. It showed "supporters", as the French call them, in pubs and cafes drowning their anger or sorrow in drink and complaining that the Anglo-Saxons (the Australians) were both rough and lucky. The brawl called Rugby was correctly described as"just like life." They vowed that France would get revenge four years hence. Don't tell me that sports promote the sporting spirit, or redefine that spirit. The whole "performance" (another French word) suggested that these brainless fans have nothing to live for but sports.
     Meanwhile, the account of the Pope's visit to India revealed the dangerous complexity of religious rivalries, especially in a country where millions are starving.. If India had been in the Rugby final, it would have provided a safely valve. "Bread and Circuses"...

Ronald Hilton - 11/7/99