The 2023 Rugby World Cup got off to a great start with the opening match between France and New Zealand. In this story of the match, we will look back at the highlights of the match and analyze the performances of both teams.
From the kick-off, the All Blacks showed their determination by scoring a try in the second minute of play. Mark Telea took advantage of a magnificent serve at the foot of Beauden Barrett to score in the corner. The New Zealanders clearly intended to take control of the match and not let the French take the lead.
However, the Blues managed to stay in the match by being solid defensively and taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes. Thanks to the boot of their scorer Thomas Ramos, they managed to reduce the gap and take the lead at half-time with only a point lead (9-8).
The second half was more convincing for the French, who managed to impose their game and score two tries. Damian Penaud first scored a good try in the 55th minute, followed by Melvyn Jaminet a few minutes later. These achievements brought the crowd at the Stade de France to their feet and allowed the Blues to take the lead.
The defensive performance of the French forwards was also noted, with Grégory Alldritt in particular being named man of the match. Despite the pressure from the All Blacks, the French were able to keep their cool and continued to rely on the power of their forwards to score points.
At the end of the match, the Blues finally won the victory with a score of 27-13, which allows them to start this World Cup with confidence and determination. They were able to resist the attacks of the New Zealanders and showed that they were ready to fight to go far in the competition.
This meeting was also marked by an audience record, with more than 15 million viewers on the TF1 channel. This demonstrates the enthusiasm and interest of the French for rugby and their national team.
In conclusion, France made a successful start to this 2023 Rugby World Cup by winning against New Zealand. This victory gives them confidence and ambition for the rest of the competition, while reminding them that nothing is decided and that they will have to continue to fight to go to the end.