Rugby / Six Nations

Six Nations Blog

24 hours in Paris but returned empty-handed

Well, no Grand Slam this year - gutted!! Even though we went all the way to Paris, the team lost. But it was an brilliant Friday night for the supporters in the French capital. Within 24 hours we had travelled from Cardiff to Paris using 6 different forms of transport! First Megabus to London, then a train from Victoria to somewhere outside London; car to Folkestone to catch the Channel Tunnel. Then there was a drive to Paris, where we checked into the hostel before catching a bus to the stadium, followed by the Métro to the city centre after the game. Luckily, I wasn't driving so I could drink all the way - I was pickled by the time the game started.

The atmosphere in Paris was amazing, with hundreds of Welsh supporters gathered outside the city's bars. Several times during the evening, the boys were on the tables singing the likes of Sosban Fach, Cwm Rhondda and Myfanwy, and of course, the pièce de résistance: Hen wlad fy Nhadau. Everyone was obviously enjoying themselves and totally drowned any French attempts at singing!

We'd been talking all day about how odd it was to go and see Wales playing in the Six Nations on a Friday night, but when we got to the stadium, I realised that it was a really special occasion. I've been lucky enough th see Wales paly Argentina in the Millennium Stadium inaugural match; Wales beating England in the first match of the 2005 Grand Slam and Wales beating France in 2008 to win the Championship. Some of the best games I ever saw, with the noise of the fans was deafening - but on Friday night, the atmosphere in Paris was unique. 80,000 people were crammed into the stadium, and from the first kick, it was electrifying. The noise of the French fans copmpletely drowned out the Welsh fans, which I'm sure was a key factor which affected the Welsh players, but more than that, fired up the French players. Watching a game so late at night was different, but IO have to say, it was a very special experience.

I thought Wales started well considering the pressure on the players, The turning point came after France scored just before half-time, because the French team got totally fired up, as did the crowd, and no team in the world can beat France in that scenario. As New Zealand have found in World Cup finals, once France are in front and start playing well, with the cvrowd behind them, it's almost impossible to beat them.

When the game started, I was so confident that Wales would win. Somehow, everything pointed towards a Welsh victory, but maybe everyone was over-confident, and trying too hard at times when patience was needed, and not heeding the successful team structure that has been serving us so well. Although I reall have to say that France deserved to win, and for us top score in the dying minutes of the match would have been unfair.

It all went a bit flat after we lost, with lots of French people waving flas and singing 'Allez, les bleus' after their victory. We followed the crowds to the Métro and went the the centre of Paris to enjoy our brief remaining time in the city. Sadly, that's where my memories end, because I fell asleep in the next pub because of all the beer - or maybe it was the shock of paying 40 euros for a round of 5 pints!!! It was a fab weekend all round, very much like the old 'Grand Slam' film - lots of enjoying in spite of the score!!!

As Adrian Chiles does on Match of the Day 2:

2 Good - having to be carried back to the hostel at the end of the night + enjoying the atmosphere with the boys;

2 Bad - smashing a light in the Métro ceiling by kicking a ball around + a 90-euro fine paid to the police for speeding trying to get to the Channel Tunnel…

A fantastic weekend!

Rhys

This blog has been translated from Welsh.