France/New Zealand: At what time and on which channel can you watch the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup?

The big evening had finally arrived for the Blues. Today, Friday, September 8, the fifteenth French national team officially begins the 2023 World Cup, organized by France, against New Zealand. This prestigious opening match, staged at the Stade de France, will be preceded by a ceremony specially designed by Jean Dujardin.

Fabien Galthie’s men are considered by many observers to be the favorites in the competition. Led by Gilles Dupont, Ramos, Aldrete, Benaud and even Fico, the French national team already has serious assets to show for it. After being placed in Group A, the Blues begin their journey against the New Zealand legend. Three-time World Cup winners (1987, 2011, 2015), the All-Blacks are one of the most feared sides at every World Cup. If they are not as impressive as they have been in the past, the New Zealanders are certainly not an opponent to look down upon. Starting with a win over the All Blacks would be a strong signal sent to the other teams in the competition. But above all, it is best to start the group stage before facing Uruguay, Namibia and Italy.

For this occasion, Fabien Galthé decided to bring out the heavy artillery, by aligning all the executives available on the ground. The coach expects a very competitive match, and took advantage of the pre-match press conference to send a message to his players by recalling the statistic, to say the least. “He’s a great first opponent. We are very happy to be here. All the best teams in the world are on our soil. All Blacks, what could be better? They have not lost a group match since the World Cup was established. We are very happy to play against them, so Friday’s game is a celebration for us“, he confirmed.

France/New Zealand, from 9pm live on TF1