During this 2024 Six Nations Tournament, the French XV is forced to leave its Stade de France, under construction for the next Paris 2024 Olympics, to play its home matches in the provinces.
After a failed opening in Marseille against Ireland on February 2 (17-38 defeat), the Blues will play Italy on Sunday February 25 in Lille (Decathlon Arena in Villeneuve-d'Ascq).
Then, after a trip to Cardiff, the last match of the French XV is scheduled for Saturday March 16, at 9 p.m. in Lyon (Groupama Stadium in Décines-Charpieu), at the end of this Tournament.
Read alsoSix Nations Tournament 2024: the complete competition schedule
A good “Crunch” to finish: the poster promises a lot.
“We could have filled all the stadiums three times,” assures Florian Grill, president of the French Rugby Federation.
In Lyon, the FFR received four times more requests than offers for this match: 240,000 for just under 60,000 places... The wait is very high for the clash.
And very long, too: one month before kick-off, tickets are still not on sale on the official FFR website.
“It sets fire everywhere…”
“It’s setting fire everywhere… recognizes Thierry Tonnelier, president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes League, which brings together more than 250 amateur clubs in the region.
One in three calls to the secretariat is to get places.
We have received requests for 400 places… There is impressive enthusiasm, great expectations.
But we can't guarantee anything.
»
Amateur clubs have had access via the AURA League to 5,000 places, already allocated.
For others, Thierry Tonnelier can only advise connecting to the FFR ticket office and waiting… “We were told that it would open at the beginning of January, then at the end of January,” he explains.
However, still nothing.
The official website just says “coming soon”.
Also read “We could have filled the stadiums three times”: the public of the XV of France is present for the Tournament
If certain quotas of places have been allocated to tour operators, for many fans, both French and English, there is uncertainty.
Some people are hesitant to organize a trip to Lyon without a guarantee of having a ticket.
Others try it and have taken TGV and hotel, and cross their fingers.
“Setting up ticketing takes more time”
Why so much delay in putting tickets on sale?
“We will communicate soon”, we assured the FFR again last week, which speaks of a “set-up of ticketing which takes more time”, in particular because it is the first time that the FFR organizes a match at Groupama Stadium.
The French XV certainly played there against Italy on October 6.
But it was for the World Cup, and the ticketing was then organized by World Rugby and France 2023.
But for the Six Nations Tournament, things are slipping.
“There is no technical problem,” we assure the FFR.
In the meantime, the fans are stamping their feet.
And watch for the little hourglass spinning on their screen, finally hoping for tickets to go on sale for this France-England event which would never have been so anticipated.