Breton to join the Six Nations - I like their anthem!

Like Catalonia and the Basque country, Breton is an ethnic region of western Europe that has no official status as a nation. I would like to see them join the six nations. It can then be the 6.5 nations.

I really like their anthem. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I just do...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT34lBdVgls&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Do you know if Breton have a rugby team in the top 14 or any players that currently play for France.

This region looks ripe for some player poaching by Wales.

The sound of their anthem is similar to the Welsh anthem in away.

Well there is no coincidence there...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bro_Gozh_ma_Zado%C3%B9

"Bro Gozh ma Zadoù (Breton for Old Land of My Fathers) is the national anthem of Brittany. It is sung to the same tune as that of the national anthem of Wales, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, and has similar words. The Cornish anthem, Bro Goth Agan Tasow, is also sung to the same tune.

The Breton lyrics are the creation of François Jaffrennou in 1897, and the music was that composed by the Welsh James James for Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. The new song was first published in 1898, and circulated as Henvelidigez ("Adaptation"). It was chosen as national anthem (and a song to celebrate friendship between the Welsh and Bretons) in 1903, at a Congress of the Union Régionaliste Bretonne held in Lesneven. Maurice Duhamel adapted it for the piano, and it was first recorded by Pathé in 1910."


http://www.nationalanthems.info/bri.htm

"Brittany - "Bro Goz ma Zadoù" (Old Land of My Fathers)

Brittany, a region of France, has a culture and language all its own (the language is more Celtic than French). Like other Celtic regions of the area, such as Cornwall, the anthem melody used is taken from the Welsh anthem, composed by James James (with some minor note changes). The lyrics were written in 1897 and the adaptation of the Welsh anthem was first published the following year, with the appropriate title "Henvelidigez" ("Adaptation"). It was adopted as the Breton national anthem (and a song of Welsh-Breton friendship) in 1903 at a meeting of the Union Régionaliste Bretonne, a Breton cultural and political organization."

There you go, we have our 5th Region - The Breton Bombers

I don't really think it is a rugby hotbed. It seems more football orientated, with Ligue 1 teams like Rennes and Brest. There aren't any Breton rugby teams in the Top 14 or the Pro D2.

Swansea is football orientated but the O's have done ok

RogerLewis wrote:Like Catalonia and the Basque country, Breton is an ethnic region of western Europe that has no official status as a nation.

Breton is a language, not a region.

It's a demonym for people/ teams from the Brittany region too, isn't it?

Yes, but it's not a place.

Agreed.

The place is Breizh, if you want to be completely correct.

Their best team is Vannes and they are 1 or 2 leagues below Top14 otherwise the standard is n't very high I arranged for my old team Bude to play in a local competition years ago and their second team although p****ed managed second position.

Breton have to join the 6n queue with the nation of Cornwall, who are making a 6n bid on another thread today.

Assuming were talking about Brittany then I think there are one or two clubs in the region but nothing in the top couple of divisions of the French league.

I did a bit of reserch on the region before when I was doing a post about a possible real Celtic league to include Cornish and Brittany. From memory I could only find teams in Rennes and Nantes.

Brittany is located in the center is but west coast of France, where as most of the rugby is located in the Southern regions and close to the Italian and Spanish borders.

I think it does have Welsh links though, I remember something about some Welsh Warrior called Conan, helping some Roman bloke called Biggus Díckus / Naughtius Maximus capture France and Belgium off the Romans or something. I'm not sure if I have my Conan the Barbarian and Life of Brian films mixed up or something but it's something like that.

rosbif wrote:Their best team is Vannes and they are 1 or 2 leagues below Top14 otherwise the standard is n't very high I arranged for my old team Bude to play in a local competition years ago and their second team although p****ed managed second position.

Rosbif - Roast Beef, love it, lol

Cumbrian wrote:I don't really think it is a rugby hotbed. It seems more football orientated, with Ligue 1 teams like Rennes and Brest. There aren't any Breton rugby teams in the Top 14 or the Pro D2.

Brest :-D