Henry Kissenger was channelled by Sir John Kirwan, while Fabien Galthie seemed to be inspired by Brains from Thunderbirds Are Go!
Our nation tuned in for the Rugby World Cup opening spectacle between the All Blacks and France, and many keen observers would have seen that the true battle wasn’t on the field, but was to be sighted on the touchline.
Two legends of rugby who never played each other were in a face-off of another kind – the battle of the bins, waged between 1987 Rugby World Cup winner Sir John Kirwan and a Rugby World Cup hopeful, French coach Fabien Galthie.
Sir John (aged 58, with 63 All Black caps nd one World Cup) sported his new The Brace specs, hand-made in Venice by renowned ocular artisans In Barberia. Owners Antonio Battaglia and Marco Andreoni, taking inspiration from their environment, say “the ancient workshops of the past, thus following the philosophy of researching quality and innovation, [are] always enhancing the tradition of this art”, according to the company website. The specs’ specs are cellulose acetate and buffalo horn. Price quote available on request.
Sir John was super-excited when he got his new blinkers, enthusing on Instagram in July: “Amazing hand-made glasses from my boys in Venice! Can’t wait to pick ‘em up next week; watch this space @inbarberiavenezia.”
Some Kirwan commentators didn’t agree.
“Whoever sold John Kirwan those Joe 90 glasses needs to be sacked. [They’re] bigger than his entire face,” said Chris, AKA @chillychook35, on X (formerly Twitter).
Nathan McMahon (@comamcmahon) asked, “Quick question, are they welding goggles John KIrwan is wearing or real glasses?”
It’s easy to be one-eyed when it comes to fashion, but channelling the spirit of reflecting the past and framing the future, Sir John seems to be taking his own inspiration from former US Secretary of State and well-known diplomat Henry Kissinger. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but that far-sighted vision will serve him well as a TV Cup pundit.
The glasses gracing Galthie’s (aged 54, 64 caps for Les Bleus, 0 World Cups) Gallic guise are from French sport spectacle manufacturer Demetz, started by optometrist and professional diver Roger Demets in 1950. He developed the first optical dive mask in 1953, with many divers beating a path to the door of his shop on Rue Diderot in Paris for a pair of his incredible goggles.
Mike Able (@abelmike) hit the nail on the head when he posted to X, “Fabien Galthie’s glasses always remind me of another Frenchman, Jacques Cousteau. Looks more like goggles than specs.”
Galthie’s explanation is more function than form, with him stating to Daily Mail’s Nik Simon in 2022, “Look, you can bend them and they don’t break. They are sport glasses. I broke all my normal glasses, so I needed something stronger. It was an accident. I wear them all the time now. Some people hate them. My mum doesn’t like them.’
The model is Demetz Ros 21, they’ve been around for about a decade, and can be picked up for around €99, depending on your prescription.
So who threw shade on who?
Sir John’s occhiali (Italian for glasses) are cool and funky, and obviously help him to see all the action as a commentator and rugby analyst. But they’re not very practical and they’re definitely not affordable for your average Joe.
Fabien’s lunettes, however, could withstand a thumping tackle from the blindside and invoke the memory of Brains from Thunderbirds Are Go! - and the unbreakable bifocals won’t break the bank.
Brains, brawn and businesslike, the Demetz are definitely the winner, rather like Galthie’s French team on the day.