Rugby World Cup.. thoughts

Well I know that the French language can be verbose - but I didn't realise they pack all of this into a single anthem!!!


Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised
Listen to the sound in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts

To arms citizens Form your battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows

What do they want this horde of slaves
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings?
For whom these vile chains
These long-prepared irons?
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What methods must be taken?
It is us they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!

What! These foreign cohorts!
They would make laws in our courts!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our brow would yield under the yoke
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny

Tremble, tyrants and traitors
The shame of all good men
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward
Against you we are all soldiers
If they fall, our young heros
France will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you

Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows
Spare these sad victims
That they regret taking up arms against us
But not these bloody despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who pitilessly
Ripped out their mothers' wombs

We too shall enlist
When our elders' time has come
To add to the list of deeds
Inscribed upon their tombs
We are much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining them

Drive on sacred patriotism
Support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty
Join the struggle with your defenders
Under our flags, let victory
Hurry to your manly tone
So that in death your enemies
See your triumph and our glory!
 
UKRob said:
Well I know that the French language can be verbose - but I didn't realise they pack all of this into a single anthem!!!


Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised
Listen to the sound in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts

To arms citizens Form your battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows

What do they want this horde of slaves
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings?
For whom these vile chains
These long-prepared irons?
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What methods must be taken?
It is us they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!

What! These foreign cohorts!
They would make laws in our courts!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our brow would yield under the yoke
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny

Tremble, tyrants and traitors
The shame of all good men
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward
Against you we are all soldiers
If they fall, our young heros
France will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you

Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows
Spare these sad victims
That they regret taking up arms against us
But not these bloody despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who pitilessly
Ripped out their mothers' wombs

We too shall enlist
When our elders' time has come
To add to the list of deeds
Inscribed upon their tombs
We are much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining them

Drive on sacred patriotism
Support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty
Join the struggle with your defenders
Under our flags, let victory
Hurry to your manly tone
So that in death your enemies
See your triumph and our glory!
Click to expand...
Well, that's certainly long-winded. Nothing about lying around and having your belly tickled by Germans though?
 
I was trying to fit it to the tune - If you sing the 1st line in French (Allons Enfants de le Patrie.. etc), you can then fit the next line in English but it goes pear shaped after that.

@Gairdner - only joshing about Flower of Scotland Graeme - I just don't really care for national anthems a great deal. I can just about take GSTQ - but when Charlie is King I think I'll cover my ears and eyes - or emigrate to Australia, where, if they have any sense, the citizens will have turned full republic by then.
 
Talking of anthems - Man City supporters have been reported to UEFA for booing the Champions League anthem - sanctions or fines are possible!!

So, it seems that they should have clapped the anthem just like North Koreans always look overjoyed to see Kim Yung Un. Then again the head of UEFA is another short-arsed corrupt dictator - answerable to just himself.
 
What are your thoughts for the semis? Can anyone see anything other than NZ and Australia winning? Despite my earlier prediction that SA could go all the way - they don't seem to have a good enough game plan to beat NZ - it all seems to be driven by pass the ball to Burger and roll forward a couple of metres at a time. It's effective but if NZ put some width on the ball I can see a fairly easy victory.

In the other SF I think Australia should edge a close match - that's no disrespect to Argentina, I'm just not sure they have another big game in them.
 
UKRob said:
What are your thoughts for the semis? Can anyone see anything other than NZ and Australia winning? Despite my earlier prediction that SA could go all the way - they don't seem to have a good enough game plan to beat NZ - it all seems to be driven by pass the ball to Burger and roll forward a couple of metres at a time. It's effective but if NZ put some width on the ball I can see a fairly easy victory.

In the other SF I think Australia should edge a close match - that's no disrespect to Argentina, I'm just not sure they have another big game in them.
Click to expand...
That's my thinking too. Although the Springboks are my sentimental favourite (the old country and all that) I can't see them beating the All Blacks. If the Wallbies have learned anything from their near death experience against Scotland, they'll bring their A team and A game against the Pumas and wind up meeting NZ in the finals. But I don't think the Wallbies can take the All Blacks no matter what team and game they bring. Then it'll be up to the Boks to thump the Pumas, but I can't dismiss the Pumas; all along I've said they could surprise us, which they clearly did when the steamrolled Ireland.
 
Shocked, saddened but not surprised at England's early exit. Hoped against expectation that it wouldn't happen. Ho-hum.

As for rousing anthems I think they should use the French and Italian anthems for each game, whoever is playing.

To be honest, I can't see anyone beating the All Blacks. They badly want put an end to the "chokers" reputation as the team who can't win the big tournaments away from home and look really hungry for it this time round. The pumas should never be discounted but I don't think it's their year. Would have liked to see a game but the RFU priced me out of it, together with at least one dyed in the wool rugger bugger I know.

Regards,
Chris
 
Great game today, a credit to both sides. It was a battle of defence, but the Kiwis almost made one penalty too many. I feared the All Blacks would win, but I didn't think it would be by the skin of their teeth. Hats off to the Boks for making it a tough game; too bad they didn't play like this against Japan...what an embarrassment, but they made amends today. I'm picking the Aussies to walk all over the Argies and then the Sprinboks to devour the Pumas. The All Blacks will take it all, but it won't be easy.
 
Bloody Wallabies nearly gave me heart failure today conceding all those penalties. The Pumas put on a good show, but not good enough thank goodness. My money is till on the All Blacks, but it may come down to the side that concedes the fewest penalties. The Boks will have to be in top form to beat the Pumas, but I think they are up to it.
 
The Blacks are the favourites but there's one thing you can say about the Aussies they carry no baggage in the top two inches when it comes to playing the All Blacks, I'm still going for a comfortable All Black win by 10 points.
 
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