Paris, pastrami and one rugby nation that gets under my skin

IF IT WASN'T for a pastrami sandwich and a cold beer to swallow it down with, Ireland would have ruined Paris for me.

- MORGAN BOLTON

The City of Lights is on many people's bucket list to visit — the history, the landmarks, the food ... it's all so romantic. With the Seine river cutting through its centre, world-famous monuments stand proudly overlooking the city. It makes for spectacular views and vistas.

The French, so the saying goes, can live without the world, but the world cannot live without the French.

On its outskirts, in Saint-Denis, and dominating the skyline there, stands the Stade de France — an 80 000-seater behemoth of a stadium that has seen some truly remarkable South African achievements. In September 2023, it hosted a Rugby World Cup group game between the defending world champions, the Springboks, and a fervent and hopeful Ireland.

We South Africans were heavily outnumbered that day, the Irish dominating the stands and the noise. During the week leading up to teh game, at every turn, it was near impossible not to bump into a smiling Irishman or woman. Pleasantries would follow, of course, but there was always a sense that the Irish believed they had our number.

So, while we bunkered down in one bar in the Latin Quarter the night before, commandeering the sound system to play South African treffers, the Irish ruled the streets in the buildup to the match.