French fans urged to eat Welsh lamb

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 14

French fans urged to eat Welsh lamb

NZPA staff correspondent London Millions of French television viewers will be urged to buy Welsh lamb when they watch the Wales v. France rugby match at Cardiff Arms Park. Welsh farmers, angered by the recent hijacking of British lorries carrying lamb to France, are arranging a 12m-long advertisement to give the French the message during the match. It will urge them to “Buy Welsh lamb — achetez du mouton Gallois.” The farmers want to have the sign opposite the television cameras which will be relaying the match live to France. The Welsh Farmers’ Union hopes the advertisement will deliver a blow right in the homes of their E.E.C. rivals and engender national pride at home. The match, on February

18, is expected to be watched by 10 million people in the United Kingdom alone. Another of the reasons the farmers want to advertise their lamb is that they expect advertisements for New Zealand lamb at Cardiff Arms Park. A Welsh Farmers’ official, Mr Nigel James, said, “It is quite sickening for Welsh farmers seeing references to New Zealand lamb during these matches without anything for our own produce.” But the New Zealand Meat Board office in London says it has news for Mr James — there will not be any advertisements for New Zealand lamb. “We only advertise there when there is a clear New Zealand association — as when the All Blacks are playing,” a spokesman said.