Paris screams green and gold

7 Sep 2007

The Eiffel Tower was lit up in honour of the Rugby World Cup, but instead of red and blue, we got green and gold.

View from the villageFormer SA Rugby Pty Ltd managing director Rian Oberholzer is the brain behind the official supporter’s village, called Rugby Town. And there can’t be a better location with the Village, a more sophisticated version of Bok Town, situated on the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The Village was officially opened by the Mayor of Paris and to commemorate the occasion the Eiffel Tower took centre stage, although Oberholzer down played his influence in choice of colour. Lazers also replicated an image of rugby poles and a massive rugby ball looks down on Paris from the Eiffel Tower.

Oberholzer’s company, Accelerate, will run the Village for the next two months – and entrance to the Village is free. The booze is not, although it is very good and on Thursday night Heineken, a World Cup sponsor, had unlimited beer on tap for the thirsty among us.

The World Cup, the real thing (Bill himself), was on display last night and again it had a South African feel to it.

Anne Lee Murray, former Springbok Public Relations Manager, is now the IRB’s Commercial Manager and she has been tasked with looking after Bill inbetween events. Needless to say we snuck a closer look at Bill and went as close to it as Francois Pienaar did in 1995. Earlier in the day Murray had arranged for Nelson Mandela to meet with the Boks in Paris.

If you didn’t know any better last night, you’d have thought South Africa was hosting this World Cup.

At the Village, you can drink yourself into a state of euphoria or depression and you can do your RWC shopping there as well.

Every team’s replica jersey can be purchased at the Village, Italian Sky will do all their broadcasts from the Village and the place provides the perfect access point to everything else that needs to be seen in Paris.

Bok supporters wanting to know where to drink – look no further!

And yes, you will find me there more often than, along with the travelling crew of Mike Greenaway, Kevin McCallum and the incorrigible Gavin Rich.



33 Comments

  • 1.billy: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 11:52 am

    Looks awesome. Am properly jealous.

  • 2.jacpret: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 11:54 am

    and I am going to malaysia, just hope I can watch the SA Eng game there…

    Go Bokke

  • 3.ruhanv: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:02 pm

    See you there on Saturday! Can’t bloody wait!!!

  • 4.Yetirat: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:02 pm

    Alright alright,

    we all know you’re having the time of your life getting boozed up there enjoying all your little freebies Keo but some of us have jobs that don’t involve rugby!

  • 5.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:02 pm

    Dis te mooi vir woorde. Keo gaan jy ook oorsee ?

  • 6.londonshark: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:03 pm

    Its on like Donkey Kong!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 7.Knersboy: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:04 pm

    **** man, all my french and italian buddies from my years in holland are going to watch games, my stronzo italian buddies are in marseille for sat game already, the ********. oh well, i can’t complain, life is good here and i have a tv.

  • 8.cab: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:05 pm

    smaaklik, i live pretty close to the eiffel tower, will pop into the Village for a few pints.

  • 9.ruggarich: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:07 pm

    Awesome, i arrive there tomorrow lunch time…sweeeeeeet! This WC is going to be the business!!!

  • 10.BkkBoet: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:16 pm

    No 2. They are showing it in SE Asia on ESPN/Star Sports, the only problem you are going to have is the game will be on at 3am Malaysian time!

  • 11.katman: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:19 pm

    Not bad. How come our cell phone towers look so kak?

  • 12.racheltjiedebeer: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:23 pm

    Looks great, sounds great. Wish I could be there. Te laat wakker geskrik nou alles 3 keer die prys. Will maar invest in a few heineken kegs for personal use.

  • 13.seamus: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:34 pm

    You are a lucky *******, Keo!

  • 14.jacpret: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:34 pm

    BkkBoet,

    Thanks for the info, but I am going to get up at 3am to watch it. I have waited for 4 years and we have a decent chance of doing well.

    I have told the wife and in laws that I am not to be bothered this week end…

  • 15.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:37 pm

    I am surprised they let you in Keo.

    Or did they remove that thing that says; “You must be this high to enter”?

  • 16.c4: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:47 pm

    Keo You going to be there tommorrow? Also Ig do you know if the Boks are having captains practice tommorrow and do you think the public can go watch, so stoked cannot do any work and I have the beedy eye of my boss looking over my shoulder.

  • 17.spijo: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 12:49 pm

    i like the fact thats its all black around the green and gold but the bokke colours are shining through….maybe its a sign of things to come

  • 18.Bokpiel: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:01 pm

    I will be there next week,,, yes please…!!!!

  • 19.gravy: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:03 pm

    I will be there like a bear
    like a hairy bear i am there.

  • 20.Johannes Expatinus: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:18 pm

    Man, sounds great. Not there this time, but will go to NZ in 2011.

  • 21.Jackal: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:43 pm

    Brings a tear to the eye! because my fingers are gripping the mouse so hard! Wish I could be there..well, I will jealously be trying to catch what I can in Finland about the RWC on the net …if the bloody media doesnt blicksemse cut us off!

  • 22.JL1: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:51 pm

    I will be there, hope to see some of the other Keo bloggers

  • 23.keo: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:53 pm

    I will be there at some point tomorrow

    PissANT … they let me in if I promised to leave my pedestal in Cape Town. I told them never and a few euros later I was in, armed with pigeon french, no red beret and the promise to improve my command of the local language

  • 24.JL1: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:53 pm

    Bokke do us proud

  • 25.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:54 pm

    Ha,

    Good on you Keo – have a great time and fly the flag high.

  • 26.JL1: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 13:55 pm

    Keo

    Where do Keo people meet up for their free drinks

  • 27.umbhoxoswede: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 14:02 pm

    Just imagine if Obie ran SARU again. I’d bet SA rugby would be in a better state than it is.

  • 28.cab: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 14:06 pm

    lol keo, dont forget your striped shirt (the horizontal stripes emphasise one’s boep nicely) and tuck a baguette under your armpit.

    a pigeon french tip, if u think the ref is poor, pew-tahn is acceptable, but on-cue-lay could get you sent to the guillotine.

  • 29.Whodunit: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 14:41 pm

    Keo you lucky fish. I am so envious right now I can spit flames. Hope you took your rabbits foot along to bring our team good luck. Enjoy it have fun and remember to fly the Bokke flag high.

    Go Bokke! Go!

  • 30.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 15:10 pm

    21# Jackal
    Same here!
    Battling frantically with the mediazone connection…faaaaaaaaaaaaark!

  • 31.MoMo: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 17:55 pm

    I feel like a kid who has had Christmas cancelled b/c I can’t be there…

  • 32.Alicamousa: Reply to this comment
    7 Sep 2007, 23:16 pm

    See you in Paris on Sunday.

    Thanks for the information.

  • 33.Manlybok: Reply to this comment
    8 Sep 2007, 04:32 am

    THIS IS AN OMEN….BOKKE WILL DEFINITELY WIN THE CUP THIS YEAR

    GOOOOOO BOKKE !!!!!!

    Jeez I’m jealous.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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