Parys is \u2019n stad waarvan sprokies gemaak word. Die stad van liefde, ligte, kos en wyn en van die mees historiese monumente en kunsversamelings in die w\u00eareld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maar die afgelope ses weke is die stad omskep in \u2019n rugby-mal arena, met die Rugbyw\u00eareldbekertoernooi wat in Frankryk plaasvind. En die juweel hier is die Stade de France waar die halfeindstryde verlede naweek plaasgevind het, en wat tans voorberei word vir wat sekerlik een van die grootste rugby-botsings nog gaan wees, wanneer die Springbokke en die All Blacks mekaar Saterdagaand in die eindstryd pak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twee weke gelede is die Franse se harte stukkend getrap toe die Bokke hulle net-net uit die toernooi geskop het in hul kwarteindstryd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My skoonseun is \u2019n Fransman en di\u00e9 lek nog sy wonde saam met die res van die land. Die Maandag n\u00e1 hierdie verlies was die ganse Frankryk in rou gedompel, want boonop is enige gasheerland van so \u2019n glanstoernooi se uiteindelike droom om die Webb Ellis-trofee omhoog te hou. En die Franse is juis \u2019n emosionele spul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vanjaar se RWB in Frankryk is behoorlik \u2019n skouspel, dalk die beste gasheerland nog hiervan. Die een fan-park<\/i> in die hartjie van Parys, op die Place de la Concorde, slaan behoorlik jou asem weg. Hier loer die Eiffeltoring, die Luxor Obilisk en die Arc de Triomphe in die verte vir jou, om maar net \u2019n paar geskiedkundige monumente in en om hierdie groot plein te noem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dit was die plek ook van baie noemenswaardige openbare teregstellings, insluitend di\u00e9 van koning Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette en Maximilien Robespierre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maar hierdie droom van oorwinning is verlore vir die Franse \u2013 dit moet wel byges\u00ea word dat hulle die hele toernooi uitstekende rugby gespeel het.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En noudat die wonde wel effe begin genees, is al wat \u2019n Franse rugbyondersteuner is se geld op die Bokke om in hul plek Rugby- w\u00eareldbeker-glorie te geniet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want sien, die Franse en Engelse het \u2019n eeue lange stryd op die oorlogsveld en beskou tot vandag toe mekaar as aartsvyande. Selfs tydens die Anglo Boere-oorlog het die Franse hul volle ondersteuning vir die Boeremagte teen die Engelse gebied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maar terug na die hede in Parys. Sodra jy van die vliegtuig afklim op die lughawe Charles de Gaulle, word jy luid herinner dat RWB-koors steeds hoog loop in die stad. Selfs op die vlug hierheen stroom Suid-Afrikaners steeds Parys toe in die hoop om hul Bokke die kroon te sien dra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dan verder die stad in en om elke hoek en draai sien jy Bok-ondersteuners rondstap in die pragtige strate van Parys, ten volle geklee in hul groen-en-goud en K-Way-baadjies. Wel nou ook met die addisionele kenmerk van \u2019n Franse beret op die kop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maar dis nie net die Franse wat bankvas agter die Bokke staan vir Saterdagaand se groot stryd nie. Ek en my dogter het verlede Vrydagaand na die halfeindstryd tussen die All Blacks en Argentini\u00eb in \u2019n Ierse kroeg gaan kyk in die partytjie-gebied van die Pigalle in Parys. Hier was \u2019n see van rugbyondersteuners van oor die w\u00eareld heen en sodra hulle gehoor het ons is van die Boland, is glasies geklink en drankies gekoop en beste wense vir die Bokke uitgespreek, asof ons hul persoonlike woordvoerders is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En selfs n\u00e1 \u2019n maaltyd by een van Parys se bekende brasseries<\/i>, loop ek \u2019n tafel vol vrolike Kiwi\u2019s raak en ons skud blad en vertel vir mekaar hoeveel ons daarna uitsien om mekaar op die eindstrydveld te sien. Dit was nog voor die halfeindstryd teen Engeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ja, al is daar tans groot onmin oor verskeie skeidsregter-beslissings in veral deurslaggewende wedstryde en die strydbyl vir die volgende weke steeds nie begrawe sal wees nie, sal die stof egter wel loop l\u00ea en rugbyliefhebbers w\u00eareldwyd sal wel steeds deur rugby verenig wees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En soos wat die All Blacks se hulpafrigter Scott McLeod vandeesweek op \u2019n mediakonferensie in Parys tereg ges\u00ea het: \u201cDie Suid-Afrikaners is uiters mededingend. In jou gesig. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaar wanneer die toets verby is, is dit van die vriendelikste mense om mee te braai of \u2019n bier te drink.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Parys is \u2019n stad waarvan sprokies gemaak word. 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