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RWC in France - a damp squib?


smudger

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I'm in France for a few weeks and can't seem to find decent coverage of the RWC on French TV. It seems there's only 9 out of the 80 preliminary matches on public TV and a further 30 or so on pay to view Eurosport. Am I missing something? Surely there's more coverage somewhere?

I mean isn't France hosting the RWC?

And why aren't the streets continually throbbing to the sound French rugby fans congo-ing thru village and vale,  necking 1664 and cheering SA's whupping of the Blighty Boys?

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A loto f people are probably just not interested in it, we certainly aren't and in fact didn't know anything about it really. Football is far more popular round here from seeing the previous world cup celebrations locally and they certainly don"t play rugby at the local school either.
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TF1 is showing all of the French matches, which, for the moment, are the ones that the French are the most interested in. 

Anyone living in France who was keen enough on rugby, or sport in general, to want to watch every single match would already have a subscription to Eurosport.

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[quote user="smudger"]
I'm in France for a few weeks and can't seem to find decent coverage of the RWC on French TV. It seems there's only 9 out of the 80 preliminary matches on public TV and a further 30 or so on pay to view Eurosport. Am I missing something? Surely there's more coverage somewhere?
[/quote]

"Am I missing something" - perhaps.

There are only 40 preliminary (pool) matches - 10 in each group. TF1 is covering 12 of those live - only 4 of which involve the French team directly. The other 30 are all being broadcast in full on Eurosport. Given that some days see 3 matches in total I don't think the main public channel could be expected to broadcast them all in full.

Every match from the quarter final stage onwards is to be broadcast live on TF1.

rgds

Hagar

 

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Actually this is a scandal and everyone's complaining. The usual rugby channels are 2 and 3, but they were outbidded by TF1 for the WC who has now let the rugby fans down by not televising the matches. In England ITV are showing every match, and when France hosted the world football they showed every match - why not RugbyWC 2007? It's a disgrace.

yours, disgruntled.......

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[quote user="Val_2"]A loto f people are probably just not interested in it, we certainly aren't and in fact didn't know anything about it really. Football is far more popular round here from seeing the previous world cup celebrations locally and they certainly don"t play rugby at the local school either.[/quote]

Interest in rugby tends to be regionalised in France. In the SW of France it's almost a religion and in the north and NW less so. This could account for the poor TV coverage which is very Paris based. The ITV UK sat. channel is providing brilliant entertainment and showing some great matches between countries not usually known for their rugby skills. It's a fantastic tournament and very well attended in the stadiums. I have tried searching for tickets for some games without success. England are begining to play better but I am backing New Zealand to win.

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Well, as I said on another thread I went to the Samoa/Tonga game in Montpellier and it was almost full capacity - amazing when you think it was just a pool game between 2 small nations. 90% of the crowd must have been local people just wanting to watch a WC game.

Still dosen't change the fact that everyone round here is complaining of TF1's shamefull none-coverage tho'!

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And today, Wales v Fidji. What a stonking match (by all other accounts). Fact is the remaining knockout matches will probably be deadly dull with the favourites grinding out weary victories for fear of losing. Not just TF1's fault but also the FFR and French blazers like Serge Blanco. Come the revolution......

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And while I'm on the subject

[quote user="Cat"]

TF1 is showing all of the French matches, which, for the moment, are the ones that the French are the most interested in. 

Anyone living in France who was keen enough on rugby, or sport in general, to want to watch every single match would already have a subscription to Eurosport.

[/quote]

Easily said, but I wager a lot of you French expats would bleat if you had to pay (God forbid)  for your 'free' BBC/ITV etc, which I understand is not strictly pukka.

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