Oil spill taints Pierre's World Cup

The protection of the environment is a topic close to the heart of Julien Pierre, the French second row.

And that is why his excitement at playing a Rugby World Cup semi-final against Wales is overshadowed by the oil spill which struck New Zealand's east coast a week ago.

On 5 October, the container ship Rena hit the Astrolabe reef, off New Zealand's east coast near Tauranga.

Oil has begun washing up on the picturesque resort beach of Mt Maunganui and Papamoa, further south.

Pierre has been keeping himself up to date. “I have various sources of information, among others a contact from the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). What is the latest news?”
The concern of the player from Clermont-Ferrand is clearly visible.

Family passion

When told the affected region is 30km long and that more than 200 birds had already perished, 30-year-old Pierre shakes his head. "Our planet doesn’t need that,” he says.

His passion for the environment comes as no surprise as he almost carries it in his genes.

“I grew up in a zoo, the Sables-d’Olonne zoo, in a lovely region called Vendée. My grandfather founded it and my uncle is now running it.”

Two years ago he went to Sumatra with that uncle to support an organisation involved in the protection of tigers.

“There are four reserves left. They are surrounded by nothing but fields where palm tree oil is produced.”

Pierre is very worried about the future. “There are already six billion people on this planet, and no one cares about anything. Imagine how bad it may get when there will be seven billion people on earth.”

Despite being worried, he hopes everyone will be aware of their responsibilities as an individual some day. “But as long as the big companies don’t play the game, things won’t change,” he says.

Would he consider embracing a career in the fight for the environment once his rugby career was over?

Stunning New Zealand

“At the moment, I dedicate all my time to my career. But I have always had the conviction that I will do something in this field some day.”

Having now spent more than six weeks in New Zealand, he says he has been stunned by the country.

“As soon as I had a little bit of time off, I walked around a bit. It is a fantastic country, very nature-oriented. You never see any waste on the ground.”

The tragedy of the Rena makes him even sadder. “The Bay of Plenty is one of the richest regions in terms of fauna and flora. It’s a real tragedy.”

He asks about the distance between Tauranga and Auckland (150km) and says: “Right now, I am much focused on my performances on the pitch and on this semi-final (against Wales), which is around the corner, but Sunday, if it’s possible, I would love to go there and see if I can help somehow.”

One could say that in the fight for the environment, Pierre does not play at second row, but in the front row.