At least there is one fringe benefit of Marc Lievremont’s recently acquired pencil-thin moustache. Bayonne fans replicating his facial hair will be given a discount for this weekend’s clash with Montpellier.
Any supporter who shows up at the Stade Jean Dauger on Friday night sporting a moustache will be allowed in for half the usual price and since fake moustaches are also allowed, women, pre-pubescent teens and those simply without the ability to grow a Tom Selleck-like soup strainer will also be able to avail of the discount.
The publicity stunt has been dubbed ‘I love moustache’ and is being used as a gimmick in an attempt to fill the stadium on Friday night. Lievremont has close associations with Bayonne, as his brother Thomas is currently forwards coach with the Basque outfit.
Lievremont has been sporting the ridiculous if stereotypically French moustache ever since losing a bet to France’s defence coach Dave Ellis earlier in the tournament.
French journalists who had earlier clashed with the enigmatic and soon to be departed French coach even showed up at a recent press conference sporting similar moustaches in a show of solidarity with Lievremont.
The venue for this weekend’s Bayonne game, the Stade Jean Dauger, has not always been known for its hospitality as it was the scene of the infamous pre-World Cup warm up game in 2007 where Brian O’Driscoll was given a nasty shiner after a humdinger of a punch from then Bayonne lock Mikaera Tewhata.
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