Rugby World Cup 2023 – Fabien Galthié, Thomas Ramos: why the Blues love the Vélodrome so much

The atmosphere at the Stade de France, during the opening match of the World Cup, was obviously electric. That of the Pierre Mauroy stadium, a week later in Lille, was also hot. But to be honest, we are expecting something crazy on Thursday evening at the Vélodrome de Marseille. As such, the most successful referee in international rugby, the Englishman Wayne Barnes, recently told us that he had sometimes had to shout to speak to the captains, when he managed the France / South Africa in November 2022. “I had never known such madness,” said SO Barnes. And I“Even though you may be experienced, it can be very intimidating for a referee…”

Thursday evening, the 67,000 spectators in the venue are preparing to give this France – Namibia the exceptional character that it would perhaps not have had, in other circumstances. Thomas Ramos, the back of the XV of France, concedes: “I played at the Vélodrome twice: the first time with Stade Toulouse and the other with the French team, a year ago. […] It’s quite closed, as a configuration; pSometimes we can’t hear each other two meters away because there’s so much noise. […] Unlike the Stade de France, there is no athletics track (between the stands and the pitch, Editor’s note) et on s’y therefore feels closer to the spectators”.

Galthié: “In 2000, we changed on the bus…”

But regarding the enclosure usually occupied by Olympique de Marseille, it is nevertheless the national coach Fabien Galthié who has the most beautiful anecdote: « I love this stadium! I’m a fan. I only have good memories there… In 2000, against the All Blacks, it was the first time we played at the Vélodrome. And there we get lost! The bus driver can’t find the stadium… We East arrivedIt is 30 minutes before kick-off, we changed on the bus and returned to the dressing room just before kick-off. So, we did a warm-up just by running slowly around the field. And there, we felt the fervor of this audience… We were hot… After a quarter of an hour, we led 17-0… » Bonnard!