Rugby World Cups are not won or lost on the tournament’s first night but the opening fixture can often set the tone. On a sweltering evening in Saint-Denis, this was a game played in the most electric of sporting atmospheres, an early clue as to what awaits in the knockout stages. If the crowds for the rest of this competition are half as enthusiastic as this, it is going to be a truly thunderous event.
And the game? France will be relieved to claim the initial spoils but, despite the scoreline, will know they can perform appreciably better. This is going to be the most competitive World Cup of them all and here was early confirmation. While France emerged triumphant through second-half tries from Damian Penaud and the replacement Melvyn Jaminet plus the prolific boot of Thomas Ramos, it took a long time for them to break down a spirited All Black side.
With temperatures close to 30 degrees throughout and Will Jordan being sent to the sin-bin at a crucial moment for a misjudged aerial challenge, it was never going to be a comfortable night for the visiting side.
New Zealand’s night took an unscheduled turn even before the game commenced when the skipper Sam Cane dropped out of the starting lineup with an injury, prompting an enforced reshuffle in the back-row and the surprise bench return of the previously sidelined Brodie Retallick. Cane has had his travails as All Black skipper and here was another huge disappointment.
France scarcely needed much more encouragement. From the giant golden Eiffel Tower on the pitch to the euphoric mood inside and outside the stadium before kick-off, the whole occasion was a further illustration of just how much support the hosts will enjoy in the weeks ahead. The crowd did boo the French president Emmanuel Macron but their booming rendition of La Marseillaise was completely off the scale.
It was also more than hot enough to be alarmed for the well-being of the jacketed extras and acrobats involved in an energetic opening ceremony. World Rugby had officially confirmed an extra permitted water break for the players per half, with additional water and cold towels also provided. You don’t need too many of the latter in New Zealand’s South Island at this time of year.
The All Blacks do not tend to lose Rugby World Cup pool games either. Their previous 31 completed pool fixtures had all ended in victory and their record against France, until recently, has also been excellent. France had won only one of the last 15 Tests between the nations but their solitary success was a significant one. That 40-25 victory in November 2021 offered definitive proof that Les Bleus were genuinely a team to be respected.
While New Zealand might also have won each of their last three World Cup meetings with France, this felt like a very different kettle of poisson. Even without the injured Romain Ntamack, Paul Willemse, Cyril Baille and Jonathan Danty, they still had the brilliant Antoine Dupont, so relaxed before kick-off there was footage on French television of him snoozing on the team bus as it headed to the ground.
Could the All Blacks, having delivered the throat-slitting version of the haka they reserve for special occasions, deliver a short, sharp wake-up call? ‘Yes’ was the cry, after barely two minutes. With advantage already being played, Beauden Barrett’s cross-kick found grass wide on the left and the winger Mark Telea had enough time to collect and touch down. It was almost too good to be true.
France responded swiftly with a first Ramos penalty and looked distinctly dangerous with ball in hand. The All Blacks were also looking to play but a forward pass here and a knock on there slowed the pace of the game, possibly to the relief of one or two bigger forwards.
While the perfect script did not involve the home hooker Julian Marchand leaving the fray after just 12 minutes, either, France went ahead for the first time at the end of the first quarter when Ramos knocked over a second nerveless penalty. Their advantage did not last long, with Richie Mo’unga landing a straightforward penalty after a period of All Black pressure.
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France, though, had a couple of significant weapons. Ramos’s boot was one of them, the full-back knocking over a third sweet penalty from the halfway line, and the first signs of pressure on the All Black front-row were also discernible. While Ramos did miss an angled chance to extend the half-time margin, Les Bleus looked sure of themselves with and without the ball.
They also started the second half strongly but the All Blacks narrowly survived and were soon back in front, courtesy of an Ardie Savea chip into space and a huge pass from Rieko Ioane to Telea. Whether or not the ball drifted forward, as many in the crowd felt it had, the officials were happy to let it go.
There was a further groan when a diving Penaud was denied in the right corner by a fine cover tackle from Mo’unga but it was only a temporary reprieve. Soon enough Jalibert danced into half a metre of space and released his winger to score the most popular tries. Ramos converted from the touchline and Jordan’s yellow card also undermined New Zealand’s cause.
But, overall, what a promising appetiser this was for the rest of the tournament. The first weekend should contain several more treats and, as and when the temperature drops slightly, teams will be even more inclined to try and play. Whatever fate ultimately awaits these two teams, they now know how frantically competitive the next seven weeks are going to be.
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