The XV of France brilliantly won against New Zealand (27-13) this Friday, thanks to a relentless second period.
After a magnificent try from Mark Telea in the second minute, the French then reacted thanks to the foot of Thomas Ramos, before Damian Penaud and Melvyn Jaminet planted sharp arrows in the backs of the All Blacks. A perfect start for the XV of France which opens the royal road to obtain the first place in pool A.
Having struggled for a long time, Fabien Galthié’s men accelerated in the second half to inflict on the All Blacks the first defeat in their history in the group stage of a World Cup, and at the same time take a huge step towards the quarter-finals.
When entering the pitch, the Blues had one fear: to reproduce the poor performance of their elders, beaten by Argentina during the Blues’ opening match in 2007, again on French soil.
In the second minute, the All Blacks winger finished in goal and scored the first try on a love kick from his fullback Beauden Barrett.
Taken by surprise, the Blues responded with the foot of Thomas Ramos – who chained the penalties – while the public recovered by throwing the first Marseillaises, well heated by the Pena Baiona intoned during the opening ceremony. Three penalties from the Toulouse fullback later (5th, 19th, 28th), the Blues took the advantage and returned to the locker room with a one point lead (9-8).
The French supporters had an unpleasant feeling of déjà vu upon returning from the locker room when Mark Telea returned to place the ball in the French goal (43rd). From the top of the stands, French coach Fabien Galthié did not have to worry for long. In the wake of the finishers (read substitutes), the Blues accelerated and definitely took off thanks to the tries of Damian Penaud (55th) and Melvyn Jaminet (78th), to conclude in style an evening only darkened by the thigh injury of Julien Marchand in the first period.
The New Zealanders try to react with the charge of Taukei’aho in the French 22 meters but the Tricolores stand up and snatch the ball from under their posts. This is New Zealand’s first defeat in the Rugby World Cup group stage, after 31 victories.
In the Stade de France posted a score of 29-13 for France-All Blacks at the start of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, this is not good.
Where do these two points of difference come from? Quite simply from the transformation of Melvyn Jaminet at the very end of the game. The rear of the Blues, author of the test, hit very high and very hard. One of the referees behind the posts raised the flag, but not the other.
Present at the Stade de France, it’s difficult for us to see clearly. But immediately, our attitude went to the central referee, Jaco Peyper, who signaled with his hands that the conversion had failed. Hence a final score of 27-13.
It is this score of 27-13 that was endorsed by World Rugby, the supreme body of world rugby, on the official website of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
We will know the poster… for the quarter-finals. There is no round of 16 in the Rugby World Cup. Group A of France crosses well with Group B of Ireland and South Africa. If France finishes 1ᵉʳᵉ, they will face the 2ᵉ of group B. If they finish 2ᵉ, they will face the 1ᵉʳ of group B.
What a match to start #RWC2023 🤯
The hosts @FranceRugby battled a stern @allblacks side in Paris. Watch the highlights here!#FRAvNZL
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 8, 2023
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/video/856965/match-highlights-fra_v_nzl-fr?video=856965
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