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France rugby team’s bus was given a parking ticket after insulting English town

REVENGE never goes this smoothly. A local council may have taken the ultimate revenge against the rugby stars that called their home a “sad suburb”.

The perfect revenge on World Cup stars
The perfect revenge on World Cup stars

IF this wasn’t a brilliant revenge plot then it’s a rollicking good tale of karma being very real.

You might ask what’s the big deal about the French rugby team’s bus being given a parking ticket for parking on a major road?

Well, the parking ticket in question comes just a few days after the French team and some sections of the French media travelling with the national side labelled the town they’re staying in for the Rugby World Cup a “sad suburb” among other things.

Les Bleus — or Cocks as they are known — were slapped with a parking fine while players-chowed down at a nearby restaurant in Croydon, London.

The France team has hardly enjoyed its stay in the south-London suburb where it will stay throughout their Rugby World Cup campaign at the Selsdon Park Hotel.

French prop Uini Atonio complained he couldn’t sleep one night because of the noise coming from a wedding reception inside their hotel.

France coach Philippe Saint Andre and captain Thierry Dusautoir don’t mind staying in Croydon.
France coach Philippe Saint Andre and captain Thierry Dusautoir don’t mind staying in Croydon.

French newspaper MetroNews described Croydon as “sad” and also “dull and monotonous”.

The French snobbery made headlines back in England with a number of local residents declaring the French elitists should be kicked out of town if they didn’t like it.

That’s the background to the moment the French coach was hit with a parking fine by a local council parking inspector.

Local resident Dan Hicks was the first to report the French were getting a slap on the wrists for their unfortunate parking spot.

“I rode past on my motorbike and saw the bus had the French team name and initials on the side and saw the ticket inspector,” Hicks told the BBC.

“The opportunity was too good to miss so I turned around to get the photo.”

A council spokesman confirmed the ticket had been issued to the French bus, but stressed there was nothing sinister about the law enforcement.

“Despite appearances, this is not Croydon’s revenge for disparaging remarks allegedly made about the town by a French rugby journalist earlier this week,” the council spokesman told The Evening Standard.

“The fact of the matter is that the coach was parked illegally in a bus stop on a busy main road.”

A number of French players have attempted to downplay the media stories that they don’t like their English surrounds and have declared their stay in Croydon has been nothing but pleasant.

French team spokesman Lionel Rossigneux said players were “enjoying” Croydon.

“Everything is fine. We are enjoying the place,” he said.

“The hotel is great. All the staff are very dedicated to the team. It’s quiet which is exactly what we need for the team.”

Originally published as France rugby team’s bus was given a parking ticket after insulting English town

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup-2015/france-rugby-teams-bus-was-given-a-parking-ticket-after-insulting-english-town/news-story/1839f94c31eded5cea896d54a0c83856