Holding the microphone is one thing, doing it well at the ground on match day is another. Especially when you are heading into the unknown. But with enthusiasm and a passion for sport, Michel Mayer, announcer for Rugby Club Baulois, all freshness and passion, enjoys it and shares it. 

Surname, first name, age, occupation? “Mayer, Michel, 38, host. The man, beard freshly trimmed, cap on, solid on his feet, has nevertheless never played rugby Sport, on the other hand, he knows. And rugby he would come to know well enough to become the appointed announcer of Rugby Club Baulois (Régionale 2, Pays de Loire). .

“As a host, karaoke nights, blind tests and so on… I’m a go-between for the people involved and the players”, smiles Michel Mayer.. 

This great traveller has fallen madly in love with La Baule, with this peninsula, this region, this bay. 

A sport-and-music mad man from the Paris region, he walked through the doors of one particular place, Charlie’s Corner, an Irish pub, and virtually the RCB’s head office. What happened next? “Charlie’s Corner, as an events host, and after a few seasons I find myself with dozens of people including the RCB members…”. And after that? As simple as rugby.

“One thing led to another, we chatted, we laughed, we said why not? We said it over a drink, really, just for a laugh. You toss a coin in the air. And one day Gaël Robert, the RCB captain, sees me and says, listen Michel, come by soon, and we’ll set up a meeting with the presidents.”

And then? A 200-watt PA system, “Hell’s Bells” and Michel on commentary and announcements. A Michel won over and winning people over, and what wonderful smiles in the stands  at La Baule.” 

Rugby players discover the third half after starting at the rugby school with the first two. Michel Mayer discovered the sport straight through the third half, with passion and enthusiasm: “Exactly. Yes, things are a bit back to front, it’s true, when you think about it.

But there you go, it’s the chance of life, why I started doing blind tests and karaoke with the rugby lads at Charlie’s Corner, the chance of why I came to be the announcer for RCB. And since chance does things well, we’ll see whether chance has more lovely surprises in store for us in the future.