We do not know if the French XV will achieve the almost incredible feat of winning “its” first World Cup in a few hours by defeating the All Blacks in their beloved Eden Park stadium, supported by their entire nation.
But there will certainly be a ‘French’ record that will be remembered from this World Cup, that of the statues/gift from the association “Les Amoureux du rugby,” chaired by the former international and Nice player Jeff Tordo.
– Ah, Jeff: dear New Zealand friends, a statue as a gift? Why not, I’ll give you two!
Indeed, press reports inform us of a double inauguration, a few days apart, in Wellington and Christchurch.
We imagine that the New Zealanders, known to be simple people, might have found it hard to believe.
Two statues? And why?
It’s true that French diplomacy is world-renowned for its refined thinking and style (isn’t someone of sophistication said to be from Quai d’Orsay?) but understanding these subtleties…
What must the poor All Blacks, morally obliged to win, be thinking? A possible premonitory sign?
That the two works might suggest another statue in case of their defeat: one of salt (symbolizing divine curse) that will freeze them for eternity!!!
The starting point, the press release from the Ministry of Sports:
Mr. David DOUILLET, Minister of Sports, inaugurated the statue “L’Enjeu,” offered to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union in Christchurch.
France wanted to pay tribute to the residents of Christchurch by offering them a statue named “L’Enjeu,” a work by a young French artist, Laurence Bonnel.
By participating on behalf of the government in this solidarity initiative, the Minister demonstrated France’s support to the French community in Christchurch following the terrible earthquake of last February 21.
Commissioned by the association “Les Amoureux du rugby,” led by the former captain of the French rugby team, Jean-François TORDO, this statue stands as a testament to the values of unity and brotherhood.
- But it is remembered that the same association was also behind a similar operation by commissioning another sculpture, this one gigantic, which was inaugurated by Mayor Christian Estrosi before setting sail for New Zealand:
To eliminate any doubts, we inquired further of its creator, the artist from Nice, Stéphane Cipre, who clarified:
“It turns out that Laurence Bonnel and I independently created a work of art around a common project.
The work I created (‘The Counter-Values of Rugby’) was inaugurated on Saturday, October 1st, in Wellington in the presence of the French Ambassador, His Excellency Francis Étienne, the Deputy Mayor of Wellington, Ian McKinnon, and the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Steve Tew, at the New Zealand Rugby Union where it has been since that date.”
