A few months before the start of the Rugby World Cup organized in France, preparations are continuing and a decision is not unanimous.
Have you ever heard the Flowers of Scotland at Murrayfield? Ireland’s call in Dublin or the Marseillaise a capella at the Stade de France? As with all sports involving national teams, the moment of anthems is a very special moment. In rugby, more than in any other sport, this moment is often charged with emotion and communion with the stadium. At the next Rugby World Cup in France which is played from September 8 with the opening match France – New Zealand, spectators and television viewers will discover certain anthems unknown to the general public.
In order to make these moments unique, the organization of France 2023 had decided to solicit in September 2022 nearly 7,000 students from CM1 to terminale to sing in chorus on the lawn before the hymns of the selections. Unfortunately for these thousands of children, through a letter sent to schools, the project is largely abandoned.
Franceinfo, which was able to discover this famous letter, reveals its outlines. In the latter, the president of GIP France 2023, Jacques Rivoal, writes that a consultation was carried out with Word Rugby, the international federation, and that according to the conclusions, it is impossible to properly sound the stadiums and especially that the 300 young singers risk damaging the lawn. “We sang the hymns in the car, told one of the mothers for France Info who decided to launch an online petition to maintain the event.
Choirs still present
As Franceinfo also explains, part of the project is still kept since the choirs planned at the Vélodrome in Marseille and at the Stade de France are maintained but in limited numbers while a recorded version will be broadcast in the other Cup stadiums. of the rugby world.