KEY POINTS:
Travelling All Black fans descending on Lyon for the World Cup clash against Portugal need not be concerned about finding a bar that stocks Speights or Steinlager.
And the reason they need not worry is thanks to Aucklander Tai Pepere, who promises a little slice of home courtesy of his Le Maori Cafe, which sits snugly in the heart of the central French city.
Besides offering the full range of Kiwi beers, Pepere has also tried to recapture the atmosphere of a marae by using a traditional Maori décor, so World Cup fans are guaranteed the full New Zealand experience.
But how and why did a Maori settle in France and end up running his own Kiwi-themed bar?
Pepere's story can be traced back to the early Nineties when he was offered a contract to play rugby league in France for Catalans in Perpignan. On the field he proved a success and off the field he quickly fell in love with his new home.
"The first week I arrived I went swimming in the sea and skiing in the mountains and I just loved the place," Pepere explained. "I only intended to stay for a season, but I played there until 1998. To be honest I love the whole culture, the food, the wine and the cigars, the only thing I don't like are the taxes."
A hit on the field he also played a handful of games for the French national rugby league team during the mid-Nineties, but throughout his playing days he aspired to one day run a pub.
He spent the off-season serving in bars and working as a bouncer and when he moved north to the city of Lyon - the hometown of his French partner - he set up le Maori Cafe.
Pepere insists the locals have really taken to this slice of New Zealand life in a big way and now he hopes Kiwis travelling to the World Cup will do the same.
"I hope to see New Zealanders in my bar for all the All Black games, but the game against Portugal will be the biggie. I would say you can watch the All Blacks games in an Irish bar, but it is not going to be the same as watching it in a genuine New Zealand bar. It has got a definite New Zealand ambience."
But punters intending to have a beer at the Le Maori Cafe may have to arrive early.
The bar is described by Pepere as "pretty small" with a maximum of about 120 customers, although for the duration of the seven-week tournament he has hired the adjacent nightclub and put up a giant screen, which will double capacity.
Lyon also stages the Australia v Japan and Argentina v Georgia pool games, and although he believes the bar will prove popular during all three World Cup match days in the city, there is little doubt which game will attract the most customers.
"I expect Kiwis to be arriving in Lyon from about the Wednesday before the game (against Portugal)," said Pepere, a father of two. "It is going to be a big week for me and Saturday (September 15) is probably going to be the biggest day of my life. But I do have tickets for the game and I hope to be able to take time out for an hour or so to watch it."
But where do his loyalties now lie, with the All Blacks or the French?
"My dream would be for an All Blacks v France final and for the All Blacks to win the final," he insists. "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."
