Rugby World Cup: why thousands of children are deprived of going to sing the hymns on the lawn

The scene takes place just before the start of the Six Nations Tournament match between France and Ireland in February 2022. In a living room at the Stade de France, Claude Atcher, then still boss of the organizing committee of the World Cup rugby France 2023, describes his plan under the approving gaze of Jean-Michel Blanquer, Minister of National Education at the time. The concept: to have 26 children’s and teenagers’ choirs, each made up of 300 singers, perform the anthems of the Rugby World Cup selections from the lawn of each match. A small moment of glory offered to more than 7,000 young people called “the Mêlée des choirs”.