France’s fifteenth tame New Zealand to enter the race

A perfect start. France’s 15th national team kicked off its World Cup campaign on home soil by defeating a powerful team from New Zealand (27-13), Friday, September 8, at Stade de France. In the humidity of Paris, and after a delicate first half marked by New Zealand dominance, even if they ended up taking the lead, France ended up offering little play, and Zeeland found the New Zealand goalkeeper, courtesy of a fine sequence. Between Thomas Ramos and Damien Benaud (55th minute).

Having dominated and been shaken in a game that took so long to open, the Blues held on to start the World Cup on home soil on the right foot. They were long attacked from all sides by the Blacks in the encounter, and ended up sticking their heads out of the water midway through the second half before finishing the match in style.

Benaud and Ramos as champions

After nearly an hour of play, while they were running after the score and the Test counter was still empty, Damien Benaud finally leveled and let his team pass ahead, to general jubilation.

Up front they kept score and didn’t let the All Blacks get close to their goal. Always precious on foot, Thomas Ramos took two more important penalties (65′, 73′) to keep the opposition away from more than one attempt. Number 15 Tricolor even considered offering an acrobatic audition, but refused to return at the start of the event, despite calls from the public for the video. It was his eventual replacement, Melvin Jamnet, who sealed the French success, in front of 78,690 standing spectators.

good reaction

Before Damien Benaud’s attempt to save his life, the players of the French XV also owed their salvation for a long time to the back foot of the Toulousan stadium. Author of 3/4 against the poles in the first act, he kept his team afloat. Because the Blues, perhaps, were prevented by the meeting, the stake, and the Stade de France of very great evenings suffered for the first time in this first world meeting. They messed up their first bid a bit and fell behind at the start of the two delicate periods, with tries being conceded in the second and forty-third minutes.

This is the first time in their history that the New Zealanders have lost in a World Cup group match. With this prestigious success, the second in a row against the All Blacks for the first time since the end of the 2000s, the Blues provisionally top Group A. In their second match, they will challenge Uruguay at the Pier Stadium. Mauroy de l’Isle, Thursday 14 September.