Planet Bordeaux and USA Rugby? A Surprisingly Good Match..

It seems that the Bordelaise (people from Bordeaux) happen to lvoe rugby. We Americans have a rugby team, the Eagles. As part of Planet Bordeaux's continuing efforts to educate us Yanks on the great variety of wine from  Bordeaux, they're teaming up with USA Rugby. This press release came into my inbox this morning, I think it's pretty cool and if it gets more people drinking Bordeaux AND watching/following rugby, it'll be a huge success.

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USA RUGBY, PLANET BORDEAUX PARTNER TO BOOST EAGLES’ PATH TO WORLD CUP
BOULDER, Colo. -- It is the shared values of hard work, discipline, team spirit, commitment and conviviality that have propelled Planet Bordeaux and USA Rugby to set out together on a fundraising campaign supporting the Eagles through September 2011. As the Official French Wine Sponsor of the Eagles’ Road to the World Cup, Planet Bordeaux will facilitate various events such as wine tastings and winemaker dinners. Planet Bordeaux will also a have presence at a number of USA Rugby matches, including the 2011 USA v. Canada test match on August 13, 2011.

While supporting USA Rugby, participants will discover the wide variety of high-quality, hand-made, yet affordable white (dry, sweet and sparkling), rosé, and red wines from the regional appellations of Bordeaux, the world’s wine capital.

“Planet Bordeaux and the Eagles are both dedicated to excellence and contributing to the game of rugby beyond the field. The partnership will help to prepare the Eagles for their build up to the world’s largest rugby stage in September,” said USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations, Nigel Melville.

Sponsorship of the Eagles is a symbol of the international reach of rugby and the wines of Planet Bordeaux. The patronage is a natural extension of the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur Winemakers’ Association’s ongoing support of the French Federation of Rugby through the “Oscars of Rugby” awards dinners, in partnership with the French rugby magazine, Midi Olympique.

Another Franco-American rugby link is the electric American winger, Takudzwa Ngwenya, who plays professionally for Biarritz Olympique when not assembled with the Eagles. Biarritz is located just south of Bordeaux.

There is also a vibrant rugby community in Bordeaux itself with the extremely popular and highly ranked local team, Union Bordeaux Bègles. In addition, Bordeaux will host an international test match on
August 13, 2011 as 4th ranked Ireland take on hosts France, who are currently ranked 6th in the world.
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All in all, pretty cool. Have you ever been to a rugby match? Would the presence of a trade group like Planet Bordeaux influence you to visit?

Beau Carufel