Our collection dedicated to rugby
04/21/2021 16:16:26
TOUCHDOWNS
In February 2020, I flew to Edinburgh to watch a France vs. Scotland rugby match. Just a smidgeon before the world went into lockdown. There was a packed stadium, national anthems, togetherness, bagpipes... Without knowing, I was attending one of the last sporting events with a real in-person audience.
I am really fond of this sport, so I’ve decided to fill my new tie collection with good rugby vibes.
For the 2021 tournament, we have designed a collection of ties – the Third Half collection (Troisième Mi-Temps in French) - paying tribute to the long tradition linking rugby and ties.
More into football/soccer or golf? No worries: Explore our Red Card and Swing collections.
RUGBY AND TIES? YES, ABSOLUTELY! FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS
Rugby is said to have originated in England in the 19th century during a football match (“soccer” in American English), when a young pupil (at Rugby School no less) rushed towards the goal line with the ball still in his hands. The new “rugby-style” sport developed at lightning speed across the United Kingdom, especially at universities. Around the same time, ties featuring club colors became widely available throughout the country. Ties quickly became a sporting and gentlemanly way to display your rugby-club allegiance and pride.
The tradition lives on. For example, each new player in the French Barbarians (Barbarian Rugby Club) - a legendary invitation-only rugby club - is given a tie upon joining. Similarly, ties or bow ties are required during certain traditional social events, such as post-game banquets, which is inherited from the Victorian era, the famous Third Half.
3 CINABRE TIES IN THE SCRUM
The Third Half collection gives a nod to some iconic moments in rugby, such as Le Crunch, the infamous rivalry between France and Britain. To support the XV of France colours, we created a tricolour tie, bien sûr.
XV de France tie :
The perfect tie for French rugby team supporters. It’s embellished with an embroidered rooster, a symbol that has adorned the XV de France jerseys since 1912. With its blue-white-red colour-block graphic, the colours of France can be worn proudly in all the famous stadiums of the ellipsoid: from Twickenham in England to Eden Park in New Zealand to Murrayfield in Scotland.
Le Crunch tie :
The only rugby match to have received such a nickname is the infamous rivalry that has carved its place into the sport’s history: Le Crunch. In English, “to crunch” means “to crush” or “to crack”, but “the crunch” means “a crucial or defining point” (after which there may be consequences). So, Le Crunch refers to the hundred years of France-England confrontations, somewhere between blows and outbursts, with some underhanded tricks thrown in for good measure.
The first match between France and England dates back to 1906, and since then the two teams have met more than a hundred times. After a victory at Twickenham in 1967, Christian Darrouy, winger for the French team, sent General de Gaulle a telegram saying, “Mission accomplished!” That’s vibe.
Third Half tie:
The “Third Half” stems from a tradition almost as old as rugby: post-match celebrations with the opposing team. Originally practiced at England’s finest schools, the tradition has been applied diligently, from the smallest amateur matches to the biggest international championships. Professional players meet in the most prestigious hotels for such post-game soirées. Tuxedos are often the rule (not the exception). And le champagne too, of course. Talk about motivation!
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR FRANCE vs. ENGLAND
England doesn’t have a great reputation for their cuisine. But without batting an eyelid, I can say I totally go for their breakfasts (one of the few things I’ve hung on to from my English boarding school days). Baked Beans and all the trimmings can be had as takeaway or delivery from breakfast specialists in Paris: Twinkie Breakfasts. An authentic Full English is a game-changer on a Sunday.
We are already looking forward to the 2023 World Cup, which will take place in France. Some tickets went on sale starting March 15 and some others will be on sale by the start of the competition, 2023. Opening match: France vs. New Zealand on September 8 2023 at the Stade de France. We’ll be there!