RUGBY : France live up to expectations after condemning the All Blacks to another unwanted ‘first’ at RWC 2023

France 27 (9) New Zealand 13 (8)

Opponents have been put on notice, and the French public received the perfect shot of hope, as a clinical French team eased past the All Blacks in an error-strewn Rugby World Cup 2023 opener at a sweltering Stade de France stadium. 

Les Bleus were comfortably the better team as they ran out 27-13 winners, despite being rocked back by a Mark Telea try in the second minute. Roared on by a hugely partisan crowd, they underlined their status as pre-tournament favourites. 

It was the perfect start to the tournament and has set the tone for what promises to be a superb seven weeks of rugby.

To cap it off, Antoine Dupont’s team delivered on their promise, while never fully hitting their straps. That is ominous because there is more to come from this French side.

The confusing opening ceremony, which promised “a poetic and colourful journey, through a story of romance and brotherhood” was fun, twee and somehow appropriate. 

The heckling and booing of French President Emmanuel Macron that followed, added a needed edge to what had been a party atmosphere for crowds in and around Stade de France. And the stifling heat conditions only added to the atmosphere of the night, which straddled hostility and fun, but never dipped over into the former. 

Delivering on their promise 

To cap it off, Antoine Dupont’s team delivered on their promise, while never fully hitting their straps. That is ominous because there is more to come from this French side. 

The conditions made it difficult, and both sides spilled several passes. But the sweltering heat also meant the fitter team would prevail and France scored 10 unanswered points in the final quarter.

“I said before the game, the one who was going to win was the one who was going to play for 80 minutes, and I think we played well for 80 minutes. It’s a great night for us,” France No 8 Grégory Alldritt said after the match.

But that mattered little to the vocal 78,900 crowd, mostly French, who hissed and cursed every call South African referee Jaco Peyper made that went against the home team.

Whether the All Blacks have more to give is debatable. Captain Sam Cane was pulled out on the morning of the match, after suffering a back spasm when in a lineout drill during the captain’s run. It forced a reshuffle and robbed the All Blacks of some breakdown presence. 

The All Blacks had never lost a Pool stage game in 31 previous outings at the World Cup. That is now gone – another unwanted first in the Ian Foster regime. 

Two weeks ago the All Blacks suffered a record 35-7 defeat against the Springboks. Last year they lost a home series to Ireland for the first time, and the year before that they lost at home against the Pumas for the first time. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Brutal Boks hand All Blacks heaviest ever Test defeat at Twickenham to make RWC statement

New Zealand Rugby’s decision to effectively fire Foster, but keep him on until after this tournament, is clearly not working. 

But that mattered little to the vocal 78,900 crowd, mostly French, who hissed and cursed every call South African referee Jaco Peyper made that went against the home team. 

While the fans may have been anxious – this was after all a huge moment for French rugby – the 15 men