Emmanuel Macron gets VERY animated as he enjoys a few beers at the rugby – and England
It seems to be becoming something of a tradition for Emmanuel Macron to enjoy rugby with a beer.
The French president was seen knocking back drinks during and after France’s surprisingly narrow (27-12) victory over Uruguay last night, while World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont looked on admiringly.
Mr. Macron was seen in photos knocking back two beers and cheering energetically in the stands at the Pierre-Mauroy in Lille as his team hurdled over a surprisingly challenging Uruguay team.
He appeared to enjoy the company of his rugby mad Uruguayan counterpart, Luis Lacalle Pou, and former England rugby legend Bill Beaumont.
Macron was seen enjoying a full pint with both Pou and Beaumont, before moving on to a bottle of Asahi.
French president Emmanuel Macron appeared to be enjoying himself at the rugby yesterday evening as France took on Uruguay in their second game at the Rugby World Cup in Lille
He was flanked by the rugby-mad president of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, and the chairman of World Rugby, Sir Bill Beaumont
After the game, Uruguayan president Luis Lacalle Pou joked with his team that: ‘It was difficult for me not to jump too much next to the host’
Macron spent the game chatting with both his neighbours, especially the Uruguayan president who had flown all the way expressly for the game
It didn’t stop there, as after the game Macron and Lacalle Pou made their way down to the dressing rooms for pizza and yet more beer with the teams.
The two were seen enjoying themselves in photos published by the media in Montevideo as players and staff milled around as the time approached midnight in Paris, where Macron was showered with gifts, including a tie from the head of Uruguayan rugby.
Photos from inside the Uruguay locker room showed Macron and Lacalle Pou chatting while Macron drinks from a bottle, his third beer of the night.
President Macron enjoyed what looked to be his third drink of the night in the Uruguayan dressing room
President Macron has been pulling out the diplomatic stops for dignitaries coming to enjoy the Rugby World Cup, which is being hosted in France
The French president has become known in France as an energetic spectator when he is watching in the stadium
France and Uruguay’s presidents exchanged rugby jerseys in the Uruguayan dressing room, with the Uruguayan leader making a few light-hearted jokes at president Macron’s expense
Presidents Macron and Lacalle Pou, posed with the Uruguayan team. They also visited the French dressing room
It has become something of a ‘ritual’ for the French president to enjoy a post-rugby drink, as Le Parisien remarked. This time, unlike when he went to congratulate French club side Stade toulousain in June, he didn’t finish his beer in one go.
After the Toulouse-based side won the French league, Macron was widely criticised for finishing his beer to the chants of ‘glou, glou, glou’ from the players.
Lacalle Pou, to laughs from the Uruguay players, appeared to enjoy some good natured banter with his French counterpart about his size relative to the rugby players as he handed him a Los Teros shirt.
‘What did they give him,’ the Uruguayan President chuckled, ‘Did they give him the prop? That’s cute, right!’
‘It was difficult for me not to jump too much next to the host,’ Lacalle Pou added, referencing Macron’s energetic cheering from the stands of the stadium.
Macron and Lacalle Pou had been seen chatting throughout the game, interrupted by periodic energetic jumps from the French president as the pulsating game neared its conclusion.
Macron jumped to his feet more often than those around him during quieter periods of the game
Macron and his Uruguayan counterpart appeared to get on well as they watched the game
Uruguay’s president is known as rugby mad and told his players after the game that watching them at the World Cup, the fourth that they have been to, made him feel ‘young’ again
While French and Uruguayan players slipped, French and Uruguayan presidents sipped