'Spectacular' TV numbers recorded in France on the back of Galthie's revival
France are surfing the wave of an unbeaten two-round start to the Six Nations. Last crowned champions in 2010 when they completed the clean sweep and achieved the Grand Slam, the French public have reacted positively to the new regime headed by Fabien Galthie.
Midi Olympique are reporting that there were 1,000 supporters present at Marcoussis last Saturday for the open training, a total not reached since 2007. However, it is the level of increased TV interest in the team that highlights the rejuvenated popularity of the national team – a vitally important development with France set to host the 2023 World Cup.
France Televisions’ Mathieu Lartot has revealed there was an average audience of 5.7million people – a peak of 7m – for the opening round France versus England match and that average actually increased for the following weekend’s less glamorous encounter with Italy, an average of 5.8m and a peak of 6.8.
“It’s spectacular,” said Lartot, comparing this February’s numbers with viewing figures in France for the 2019 Six Nations.
“On average over the five games, we were 4m viewers throughout the tournament. Today, in two games including the one against Italy, which is usually the one that generates the least enthusiasm, we are already just over 5.7 million on average. To find these audiences, you have to go back ten years.
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Are Wales ready to abandon their 60-cap rule?
“There was a phenomenon of curiosity with the first game and this success started a dynamic among the supporters. It’s a virtuous circle. Victory attracts viewers. I’m sure we’ll explode those first two scores in the next game against the Welsh.
“The meeting schedule will be favourable for us. A Saturday at 5:45pm (French time) is perfect for us. Mechanically, there are always more people watching their television at this time. We should, therefore, cross the bar of six million viewers.”
The hope is that the numbers won’t stop increasing there. France are in the habit of losing their round three match after an unbeaten start to the campaign. There were defeated at Wales in 2016 and 2014, and in England in 2011 following wins in the opening two rounds.
After years of relative mediocrity, there's – all of sudden it seems – been a boom in French 10s ??
James Harrington dives deep on what the hell is actually happening ??? #FFR https://t.co/pkGNXnoq4I
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 14, 2020
However, Lartot believes that if France can get over the Welsh next Saturday in Cardiff and then pick off Scotland at Murrayfield, an incredible number of French people would tune in for the final round match at home to Ireland.
“The closer we get to the final goal, namely a final victory in the Six Nations tournament, the more people there will be in front of the television.
“Imagine if the XV of France faces Ireland in the last match in prime time for the Grand Slam, I think we can make eight million viewers, with perhaps a peak at 10 million which would be a colossal figure.
Wales, you have been warned. #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/w1NDKvVIAP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 12, 2020
“I think we have to go back to the early 2000s (for those numbers), In my memory, the only game that has done more in the recent past is France-Ireland from 2012 which was postponed.
“For a quarter of an hour, we had kept the antenna to explain the situation and we had, from memory, 7.5m viewers whom we kept in suspense with all the drama of the moment.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments