Perpignan: Henri Tuilagi and Carlos Spencer, two rugby legends, cook together
The former All Blacks editorial depicts a TV show in France that combines rugby with the art of living. On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at Lavage Farm in Canet, Carlos Spencer tasted umu, a traditional Samoan dish, prepared by the ex-USAP third line.
A meal of rugby legends. Their first meeting after two jobs at the highest level. On the mic side: Carlos Spencer, 48, 35 pick with the Blacks, an opener with genius inspiration, among other things, passed through Northampton as he rubbed shoulders with Renaud Peillard, former USAP columnist. On the stove side: Henri Tuilagi, 47, Samoan international, champion of England with Leicester (2007) and of France with USAP (2009), third-line destroyer, idol of Aimee Giral.
The two men from the Pacific did not quarrel and did not meet before Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at the Lavage farm in Canet. The site chosen by Carlos Spencer for one of the stages of his French trip. Accompanied by Mattua Parkinson, former New Zealand rugby player Sevens international, they are recording a series of TV programmes, tentatively called ‘Lost in Rugby’, which will be broadcast on Sky Sports New Zealand ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France (8 September – 28 October 2023).
The concept: discover France, its rugby, but also its culture and gastronomy. After Paris and meeting Franck Mesnil, creator of the Eden Parc, Biarritz and the Basque Country with Serge Blanco, Castelnau-Mouniac, the stronghold of Antoine Dupont XV, it was Canet’s turn, before Béziers, where Spencer started for the blacks, or Toulouse.
“It is a great honor to meet Henry, the great chief.”
In the Catalan country, Tuilagi, introduced by Spencer as “the big boss,” evidence of the aura of the former third line among Pacific players, went behind the stove, and retrained. On the menu is fish ceviche with coconut sauce and traditional omo, a stewed suckling pig, the specialty of Posolo Tuilagi’s father, the young second line of the USAP facing … Baby Blacks, this Thursday, with the Bleuets for the second day of the U-20 World Cup .
“It’s such an honor to meet Henry and introduce you to your part of New Zealand. This meal is delicious and the atmosphere is beautiful”Carlos Spencer always emphasized that he’s pretty sharp. Accompanied by journalist and translator Ian Borthwick, the former opening also discovers other Māori rugby players exiled in the Catalan country, the Shahn Eru or the Bentley brothers.
Nearby Henry Tuilagi, Jean-Christophe Torres, and Ramontxo Andonegui, commercial manager at Lafage, introduced World Rugby riders to the estate’s wines. “A special moment for me”, Henry Tuilagi admitted.
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