Familiar tastes in France

NZ rugby fans in France have been able to enjoy a taste of home at Le Maori Cafe in Lyons. Owned by Aucklander Tai Pepere, who played rugby league for French club Catalans in the mid-90s, Le Maori Cafe stocks Speights and Steinlager and is designed to resemble a traditional marae. Pepere suffers only a mild case of divided loyalties, despite being a permanent resident of Lyons who is married to a French woman. “My dream would be for an All Blacks v France final and for the All Blacks to win the final,” he says. “I’m not saying it will happen because we (the All Blacks) are used to being beaten in semi-finals, but if the two meet in the final it will certainly guarantee an entertaining game.”