The Stade de France prepares to raise the curtain on the Rugby World Cup
The 2023 Rugby World Cup gets under way tonight with a mouth-watering contest between hosts France and three-time champions New Zealand in Paris.
The All Blacks won the Rugby Championship in July to position themselves as the tournament favourites, but a subsequent thrashing by reigning world champions South Africa, as well as injuries to key personnel, has seen question marks raised over whether Ian Foster’s team can claim the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time in four attempts. New Zealand have never lost a World Cup pool game, but assignments don’t get much tougher than France on home soil.
The French may have come up short to Six Nations grand slam winners Ireland in the spring, but they begin the World Cup full of confidence following a dominant warm-up win over Australia, and they will have vocal home support in the Stade de France this evening. They also have the luxury of the best scrum-half in the world conducting proceedings in the great Antoine Dupont.
Follow all the latest from France vs New Zealand below:
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How will France respond to the Haka?
One of the most eagerly awaited moments in the World Cup opener between New Zealand and France on Friday might come before kickoff at Stade de France when the All Blacks perform the haka.
All eyes will be on how the tournament hosts react to the traditional Maori challenge, especially given the French have provided two of the most memorable responses at previous World Cups.
The first came ahead of the 2007 quarter-final in Cardiff when the French, led by the fearsome brooding figure of Sebastien Chabal, linked arms and stood inches away from the All Blacks as they performed the ritual.
That set the tone for France’s stunning 20-18 upset of the runaway tournament favourites.
The second came before the 2011 final when the French lined up in a chevron formation behind skipper Thierry Dusautoir before linking arms and advancing just across the halfway line to confront the thigh-slapping New Zealanders.
The All Blacks, again unbackable favourites, went on to win a second World Cup with a 8-7 win at Eden Park that night but only after they had withstood immense French pressure in the final quarter of the match.
The French were fined $3,000 by World Rugby for crossing the halfway line.
France face the Haka ahead of their 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand
France and New Zealand fans arrive for Rugby World Cup opening match
You can watch live as France and New Zealand fans arrive ahead of the Rugby World Cup openerh at the Stade de France, if that’s your thing:
Live: Fans arrive for Rugby World Cup opening match
Watch live as France and New Zealand fans arrive ahead of the Rugby World Cup opening match at the Stadium de France.
France vs New Zealand: Water breaks permitted amid heatwave
It could be very hot tonight – the temperature in Paris is 34C right now and it not expected to drop dramatically before kick-off in a couple of hours.
So it’s good news that players grappling with the baking heat at the Rugby World Cup will be able to refresh themselves during extra water breaks midway through each half, World Rugby said on Friday.
Teams have been told that referees will be able to call the breaks at a natural pause in play during each half.
The heat is expected to persist through the weekend and across the country, exerting a gruelling toll even despite the 9pm kick-offs scheduled for many of the games. Temperatures of around 32C are expected in Bordeaux on Sunday, where Wales face Fiji in the pool C opener.
World Rugby said the measure has been used before and is within the tournament rules.
Bastien Chalureau: France’s controversial lock at the heart of World Cup storm
Just days before the big launch of the tournament, the national team was dragged into a racism scandal.
Lock Bastien Chalureau denied accusations he is racist during an emotional press conference following his controversial call-up for the World Cup, with the player appealing against a suspended six-month prison sentence for a racially motivated attack in 2020.
Here’s more on a man in the spotlight:
Meet Bastien Chalureau – France’s controversial lock to watch at the Rugby World Cup
The 31-year-old Montpellier forward was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence in 2020 after a racially-motivated assault
France vs New Zealand – Rugby World Cup LIVE
Here we go, then!
After all the talk, all the build-up and all the anticipation, the 2023 Rugby World Cup is almost upon us, and what a way to get going: hosts France take on three-time champions New Zealand in front of 80,000 delirious fans at the Stade de France. We’ve got just two more hours of talk, build-up and ancitipation before kick-off…
The Stade de France prepares to raise the curtain on the Rugby World Cup
France vs New Zealand – Rugby World Cup
The 2023 Rugby World Cup begins tonight as the hosts France take on three-time champions New Zealand in Paris. You can follow all the build-up to the heavyweight clash and live coverage of the action right here.
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