Celebrations are starting early for some French supporters ahead of tomorrow night's All Blacks test match.
Alliance Francaise is holding its annual musical fete tonight at Wellington bar Southern Cross. Spokesman Olivier Pellenard says the 25-year-old tradition is expected to attract a bigger turnout this year due to tomorrow night's
rugby clash.
"It has become a kind of formal rendezvous point for all French supporters in town. And we had 500 (people) last year and the year before. So we really hope to have many more this year due to the interest in the game."
Mr Pellenard says they are even expecting some of the French rugby reserves to attend.
Among the supporters who might make an appearance are a pair who have raising eyebrows by travelling to test match cities with a pet rooster. The mascot was held at a Dunedin police station overnight after last Saturday's test as officers were worried about Laurence and Anthony Bigot taking it into bars while they were intoxicated.
They had earlier left the animal tied up outside Carisbrook, as they were banned from taking it in.
They bought the rooster, who they have named Pepino, on the roadside near Dunedin for $10. He has been staying in backpacker hostels with the two men ever since and they are hoping to take him into Westpac Stadium for tomorrow night's game.
Lisa Snow from the Wellington SPCA says that is not a good idea.
"It's not a nice environment for a rooster to be in. It'll be actually incredibly frightening for it. There's all the people, all the noise, it's crowded. I don't know how they think they're going to contain the rooster."
Ms Snow says a rooster should be in an open area where it can spend its days carrying out activities such as "pecking and doing rooster things". She is urging the two men to contact the SPCA if they need help re-homing their pet once the game is over.
- NEWSTALK ZB
