Rugby World Cup 2023 – Hosts France overcome New Zealand in dramatic match as tournament opens in style

Hosts France beat New Zealand 27-13 in an entertaining opening game of the Rugby World Cup in Paris, with the boot of Thomas Ramos playing a central role.

New Zealand started quickly and needed fewer than three minutes to score a try; Mark Telea touched down on the left wing after collecting a Beauden Barrett crossfield kick on the bounce.

France’s response was just as rapid, with Ramos kicking over a penalty they won almost direct from the restart, and two more Ramos penalties had France 9-8 ahead at the interval, despite losing the territory battle.

Telea touched down again shortly after the restart, collecting a brilliant, flat Reiko Ioane pass – again on the bounce – to round off a lethal All Blacks attack.

They did not lead for long, though, as Damian Penaud, who minutes earlier had fumbled with the try line beckoning, was masterfully set up by Matthieu Jalibert to score a smooth French try which sent the Stade de France wild.

A conversion and two more Ramos penalties – one while New Zealand’s Will Jordan was in the sin bin for taking out an aerial player, one after – grew the lead to two scores.

Replacement Melvyn Jaminet applied the final dagger with a 78th-minute try, gathering Maxime Lucu’s box kick before touching down.

The win leaves France top of Pool A and in pole position to win a group both sides are expected to qualify from.

France have been building towards this tournament for years and, after New Zealand’s brilliant start, it might have been easy to let the moment and emotion get on top of them. They did not, quickly striking back and ultimately gaining a half-time lead despite being far from their best and having to deal with an injury to Julien Marchand.

The second half was much better, much more like the fluid France of lore, and a demonstration of why so many people have tipped the hosts to win this World Cup.

This game may not mean much in the long run, with both teams expected to advance and presumably face one of the world’s two top-ranked sides in the quarter-finals, but France will feel an awful lot happier for having won it. What a way to begin a tournament.

It was his calm and clever footwork which created the vital first French try, and he was crucial in their controlling of the second half.

France: Ramos 7, Penaud 6, Fickou 6, Moefana 5, Villiere 5, Jalibert 8, Dupont 7; Wardi 7, Marchand n/a, Atonio 7, Woki 6, Flament 6, Cros 6, Ollivon 6, Alldritt 7. Subs: Mauvaka 7, Gros 6, Aldegheri 6, Boudehent 6, Lucu 6, Jaminet 7, Vincent n/a, Taofifenua n/a.

New Zealand: B. Barrett 6, Jordan 5, Ioane 8, Lienert-Brown 5, Telea 7, Mo’unga 7, Smith 7; De Groot 4, Taylor 5, Laulala 5, S. Barrett 8, Whitelock 5, Vaa’i 5, Papalii 7, Savea 8. Subs: Tu’ungafasi 6, Newell 6, Christie 5, Havili 5, Retallick n/a, Jacobson n/a, Fainga’anuku n/a.

TRY! FRANCE 0-5 NEW ZEALAND (TELEA)3′ – What a start for New Zealand! They take a penalty quickly, and with France not set, Beauden Barrett spots space on the left and kicks for Telea, who collects on the bounce without a French player near enough to contest and touches down.

TRY! FRANCE 9-13 NEW ZEALAND (TELEA) 44′ – Off a lineout, Savea chips ahead and Jordan collects. New Zealand get quick ball after he is tackled and Ioane launches a great, flat, long pass which bounces before Telea catches and runs in to the corner to score his second try of the game.

TRY-SAVING TACKLE! 53′ – Sensational work from Penaud to gather a crossfield kick and sidestep Beauden Barrett in one move, and the try line beckons, but Mo’unga comes across and does just enough to force a knock-on. Brilliant scramble defence.

TRY! FRANCE 16-13 NEW ZEALAND (PENAUD) 55′ – French pressure comes to the boil. Jalibert floats sideways and draws in defenders, then skips out a team-mate and passes to Penaud, who finishes with aplomb.

YELLOW CARD! 57′ – Jordan, albeit with eyes on the ball, runs into the man in the air and is sent to the sin bin.

PENALTY! FRANCE 22-13 NEW ZEALAND 74′ – After being fouled in the air for a penalty, Ramos nails the kick, from 10 yards into the New Zealand half, and the French lead is now two scores.

TRY! FRANCE 27-13 NEW ZEALAND (JAMINET) 78′ – New Zealand, desperate, try to the run the ball out when they wouldn’t normally. France steal it at a ruck, Lucu’s box kick lands in open space and Jaminet gets there first to score another try. Game over, unlike the conversion.

• This is New Zealand’s first-ever pool-stage loss at the Rugby World Cup.
• This is France’s biggest-ever win over the All Blacks.