French Ref and Glawster Accents

Extract from the Peter Arnold Notes.

Sorry, ref!

I’m sorry I didn’t pick up the fact that the distinguished French referee M. Hourquet was officiating at the Oxford University game. I would like to have welcomed him in print in the appropriate programme. It’s not the first time that a referee from over the Channel has been here, and they always seem to do a thoroughly good-humoured and workmanlike job.

The fact that English wasn’t his strong point doesn’t seem to have stopped M. Hourquet from getting his point across, but then, even English referees can sometimes have trouble with ‘Glawster’ accents. At least – you’d think so by some of the decisions we’ve seen.

Interesting to note that, while Gloucester were putting 45 points on Oxford University, another Frenchman, M. Jean-Claude Doulcet was officiating while Bath piled up 67 points against Neath.

Wonder what reports of West Country rugby will go back to the Land of Beaujolais and Beaune?’

Peter Arnold