At Larriviere Saint Savin, a village in the rugby heartlands of Aquitaine, a tiny local chapel doubles up as a shrine to the sport and the Catholic priest in charge of the premises is lighting prayer candles for Les Bleus ahead of the big match at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Notre Dame de Rugby (Our Lady of Rugby) is the name that Father Gilbert Lavigne has given the chapel, where entries in the visitors' book reveal the depth of feeling over France's exploits at rugby's showpiece tournament.
"Notre Dame de Rugby, pray for our Bleus, that they may win the 2015 World Cup," one inscription reads.
Another detail betrays the degree of devotion rugby inspires among the thousands of faithful who flock there from near and far each year. Stained-glass windows mix biblical and sporting scenes -- one a rugby scrum, another a young Jesus with his mother Mary looking over him and a rugby ball in his hands.
"This church is a place of worship for rugby fans the world over," says Morgan Bignet, curator at the chapel.
Memorabilia including signed jerseys, vintage rugby boots and posters of famous teams juxtapose flagstone floors, holy statues and a candlelit altar -- testimony to the near-total fusion of rugby and religion in this predominantly Catholic part of the world.
Failing divine intervention, Father Gilbert Lavigne believes that underdogs France may yet prevail against defending champions New Zealand.
"It's true that the odds are not in our favour. But rugby is a bit like the ball it's played with -- the bounce is so random that anything can happen," he said.
"Like life itself, it's all so random, so surprising, so stunning and so marvellous."
(Writing by Brian Love; Editing by Andrew Callus and David Goodman)
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