Schuman: the 6 Nations area
Next Saturday, the 6 Nations championship will start with Scotland vs. Ireland. If you are a huge fan of rugby, you should probably go to the Schuman area to watch the games!
Although you live in Brussels, the capital of the EU, “6 Nations” does not refer to the six countries which made the EU integration a real process. Of course not. “6 Nations” indeed is the major European rugby championship. Another (good) thing you need to know, it does not happen every four year, like the European Football Championship. But it happens every single year, in February and March. A last point to make all the things clear, the 6 Nations are England, France, Ireland (a unified Ireland, really!), Italy, Scotland and Wales. Most of the nationals from these countries are good drinkers and like grabbing a couple of pints while watching games.
So, if you like rugby, you probably know good spots in town to watch the games. But have you tried the Schuman area? It is indeed full of British/Irish pubs. Let’s remain impartial, we will not take a position in this debate. Just in the “Rue Archimède”, there are four pubs that will broadcast the championship: Hairy Canary, Coolok Café, Funky Monkey and James Joyce. “It is a very important annual event for us. There are many people. You know, the games start early. So, the rugby fans come early, start drinking, they eat and they stay for the next game”, said Luke, waiter at Funky Monkey. Although it gathers lots of fans and random people who just come to enjoy an afternoon in pubs, some games are much more important events than others. “If it is Italy-France, there won’t be many people, but when Ireland-England takes place, it is always very crowded”, according to Dirk, manager at Hairy Canary. “Clients are from everywhere, but there clearly are a lot of French and English supporters”, stated Adriano, manager at Fatboy’s, on Avenue de Cortenbergh,
In case you are not a fan of sport, and you hate football and football atmosphere, it worth attending a rugby game. “The rugby fans are different. The atmosphere is different. It is friendlier, less aggressive. And everybody is actually drinking”, Adriano added. “Of course, the rugby fans are always the best behaved. Biggest drinkers, but best behaved”, Luke confirmed. “If you come here, everybody knows each other. It is very local and friendly”, Julius, a regular Coolok customer stated.
What about the bookmakers? Everyone of course has its own team, and it is very hard to predict each year which team will win. On the first day, you can watch “Le Crunch”, the traditional name for France vs. England. Luke, from Ireland, really believes Ireland can win the 6 Nations championship. “Come on, let us a chance, I think we can do it!”. A Welsh fan told us Wales could rank third or four. But his motto is very clear: “Everything but England!”. You still have one week to choose a team before ordering Guinness pints around Schuman. No worries, in case a pub is too crowded, you will for sure find another one a couple of meters away.
