A two-ton statue was unveiled at the beginning of the week on the Rauba Capeu quay in Nice (a stone’s throw from the Promenade des Anglais), in the presence of the deputy mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi.
What a Jeff! After unsuccessfully attempting (at least until today) his return to managing the local rugby club amidst ensuing controversies, here he is bouncing back like a rugby ball as the sponsor of an initiative of the utmost quality.
Unfortunately, no representatives from the rugby world were present at the unveiling of this artistic work: not a single representative from the New Zealand Embassy (not even a simple attaché), nor from the Departmental or Regional Committee of the French Rugby Federation.
How to explain this oversight? It seems no one was aware of this initiative?
And one might wonder where this sculpture will be displayed upon its arrival in the ‘land of the long white cloud’ (as the Maori call their island)?
But in fact, are they aware of this donation?
Returning to the work, it has been nicknamed: The Anti-values of Rugby. The work by the Côte d’Azur sculptor, Stéphane Cipre, depicts two rugby players in a scrum. Instead of battling human opponents, these aluminum men fight against a wall of words that are contrary to rugby’s values: drugs, individualism, racism, etc.
Christian Estrosi was delighted with “the great quality” of the sculpture. He also congratulated the former hooker Jeff Tordo, who was also present at the event: “I am very proud that it is a French international with 48 caps [editor’s note: actually 18] who is behind this sculpture.”
The wall of words and the rugby players are expected to soon arrive in the hands of the New Zealand Rugby Federation leaders. Its inauguration is planned in the capital of the All-Blacks’ country, Auckland, coinciding with the opening of the 2011 World Cup.
Photo credit: Rachel Turpin
