Guest Article: A Day At The Stadium - Benetton vs Perpignan

And finally spring is back. 

The dandelions bloom among the rows of Trevigian vineyards and the sun shines gently again on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Or so it should be. Actually it is cold. The rain is heavy as it makes up for a dry couple of months and the wind is cutting and bitter. As if that weren't enough we are asked to deposit our umbrellas at the entrance of the Monigo stadium. Luckily the new stands are covered so we should be spared from the divine fury.

Today's guests are Union Sportive Arlequins Perpignanais, a French team that comes from the Pyrenees to play for a place in the European Challenge Cup Round of 16. Benetton know they can win this match and the players seem energised from the beginning of the warm-up. In the opposite stand from my seat, a small but tenacious group of French fans sing and dance, led by a brave character in a red wig.

There is also a menacing drum somewhere that (instead of announcing the approaching orcs in the Caves of Moria) beats the chants and sets the rhythm for the French fans. I intend to take a picture of the guy with the drum after the game.

The match starts and after a few minutes I'm not sure if I'm at a rugby match or an ATP tennis tournament. The high stakes and prohibitive conditions force both teams to play a very cautious game plan. They kick very often and play with little initiative. The audience often rumbles but I don't think the teams can do otherwise. One of these kicks to touch is intercepted in the stands by an elderly gentleman a few rows below me. The audience cheers and laughs and someone suggests that he should put on his rugby boots, wear the Benetton jersey and join the field. Somehow he declines with a sweeping wave of his hand.

The first half ends 7 - 3 to the visitors.

Between the first and second half the rain stops but an even more icy wind rises. As the players take the field the game changes thanks to the first substitution of the match. Benetton recover from the points gap accumulated in the first half thanks to a try from Tomas Albornoz and finally the atmosphere warms up a bit.

The French guests continue to dance and sing as the game gets more and more interesting on the pitch. After some difficulties, Benetton manage to finally take a comfortable advantage and control the game thanks to a try from Corniel Els after a period of sustained pressure.

This fake spring day gives a final coup de grace as the rain resumes and the temperature drops. Finally, as if that weren't enough, the referee keeps on calling the TMO thus extending the game. The French fans are unlucky as the wind blows against them and the rain keeps on pouring on their stands. On top of that their beloved team is losing the match.

The game ends with the victory going to Benetton and as much as I look for the fan with the drum he seems to have already gone. I don't blame him for seeking shelter. I am also just looking for a place to shelter myself from the wind and rain and coincidentally this place turns out to be a brewery not far away. An idyllic location in front of the beautiful 16th Century Porta Santi Quaranta at the entrance to the historic centre of Treviso.

Written by Elios