The game has already started

The two great strongholds of rugby will face each other in the upcoming World Cup finals to be held in France from the group stage. Planetary event. By then, on November 20, the two best enemies, France and New Zealand, will already be in battle. An opportunity to celebrate the spirits.

From September 8 to October 28, 2023, the tenth edition of the World Cup will be held. France will organize the competition for the second time after 2007. This big world meeting of the oval will come very quickly:

“We are two years away from the event, Frédéric Michalak (77 caps, 10 attempts) recalls one of the event’s ambassadors. World Cup 2023 tomorrow! We are very excited to see this event approaching. We’re still on our way to organizing the biggest event in world rugby.

Les Bleus victory is my ultimate dream. But the World Cup is not an end in itself. The important thing is that the players arrive ready. I hope the French 15th team players don’t feel too pressured. It can also be internal.

But if we focus on the whole process, on all the work that is done in a club which is often excellent, and if we work all year round, the results will eventually arrive. Young people are now giving themselves the means to succeed.”.

After losing three times in the 1987, 1999 and 2011 finals, will France finally become world champions and on their own turf! Remember that of those three finals, two were lost to New Zealand (in 1987 and 2011) and one to Australia (in 1999).

The poster for the opening match on September 8, 2023 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis at 9pm between France and New Zealand promises to be beautiful. Generations pass, but like it or not, blacks remain the team to beat. Led by super talented Antoine Dupont, he will not leave the French national team undefeated. Even if blacks have been appearing at the rugby tournament since mid-August, there is something to fear.

The New Zealand team that was knocked out in the semi-finals by England (19-7) was announced two years ago in Japan.

” We don’t have anything complicated to do »

On August 14, Australia was knocked out in Auckland (57-22). On September 5, in Perth, the punishment was the same (38-21). Against the Wallabies, during this second showdown, quarterback David Havili was fierce (the author of two attempts out of six in total). For twenty minutes, the Black team developed to 14 against 15. Whatever it was, Obin Huber (23 caps, 3 attempts) gives the Blues a lot of credit as the World Cup approaches, despite this massive ordeal:

“Playing with blacks is always very difficult, especially when you see them developing now. We tell ourselves it will be very complicated, but the level of the French national team has been going up for two years. This is due to various factors with very competent staff in place. There is also a generation that I know of. Well I’ve seen them with the U-20 champions, the two-time world champions, for some.

This generation does not have any complexes facing anyone. I beat everyone in the youth categories. Antoine Dupont is the main character with Romain Ntamak. Under the supervision of a few seniors, this can be a good combination. This could be a very interesting World Cup for France.

It will happen with us. There will be significant human resources focused on the technical side, the thinking and the game, and we risk seeing an enthusiastically realistic French team, improved by a high-level process across all floors. This also includes the mind.”.

Playing Black Entry, is a big challenge for the Blues

The fact remains that it is clear that blacks remain huge customers:

The great strength of blacks is their adaptation to the game and to what is happening in front of them. Aubin Hopper confirms again. They don’t have a standard XV, but a group of 35 players are able to use all forms of play whether it’s 3/4 or attackers. Recently, we saw it again against Australia. Barrett is able to kick in the back. He can also do a jump pass.

The entire rugby board has been revised. Individually, they all know how to make the right gesture at the right time. They have all the solutions most of the time. They play rugby very smartly.

We are moving towards this style of playing ourselves, and we may be more into stealing the ball (sic). Our rugby is a mixture of South African, New Zealand and French play. Because Fabian Galthea still wants us to have our own identity. So we can also be surprised by our unpredictability, even if the coach is known for his pragmatism and penchant for playing in the zone.

But in terms of spin, we also like to improvise in the face of situations that arise. Regarding the vulnerability of blacks, I don’t see much. But every time we beat them, we put a lot of strength into that.. The former international scrum half believes in our Blues’ chances.

You don’t have to hide! “We will have to see how we adapt to the new rules set. I hope we can apply the right strategy.

The team that will be the world champion will be the one that is ahead of the game in terms of strategic choices in the face of these new rules. World champion France, I strongly believe in him. The staff believe in it. The president also must believe in him. So is French sport as a whole. We have human resources.

This generation will give everything. She knows how to defeat this type of player. On the other hand, it will take quite a bit of physical preparation to be ready. Rugby is a team combat sport. You must be prepared, both physically and mentally. Then, technically, there is what is needed in the position. So it will play a lot in the mind. ».

Test match on November 20 between these two big names in rugby

On November 20, at the Stade de France, at 9 pm, the French and New Zealand will face each other in a test match. What really distinguishes spirits.

“We will see the beginnings, but no one will really reveal himself in purely strategic and difficult terms. We can count on Fabian Galthey for this… He is smart. He also confirmed that he would still like to see some players. But that after he was going to stop at group. It’s a project”.

Should the beautiful summer tour of the Blues be confirmed, and the victory over the Blacks at Saint-Denis, it would nonetheless be a small psychological advantage already taken.