France got off to a perfect start in their pursuit of their first Rugby World Cup title by defeating three-time champions New Zealand, much to the delight of the Stade de France in Paris.
Despite early tries from New Zealand’s Mark Telea in both halves, France secured the win with Thomas Ramos’ relentless kicking and a well-executed try by Damian Penaud. Ramos’ 73rd-minute penalty widened the gap on the scoreboard, allowing the home fans to celebrate comfortably as they looked for another try.
France will continue their Pool A campaign with matches against Uruguay, Namibia, and Italy, with victories in all three securing them top spot and a spot in the last eight.
New Zealand, who had previously won all 31 of their pool-stage games at World Cups, will have to regroup, knowing that a loss in their opening game doesn’t necessarily determine their tournament fate.
France’s players soaked up the atmosphere after the final whistle, savoring a victory that has increased their belief in their potential to win the tournament.
Telea’s early scores shocked the Stade, but France fought back with Ramos’ penalties, taking a 6-5 lead after 20 minutes. New Zealand, with their probing and clever play, kept the pressure on.
France stormed into the second half, but New Zealand regained the lead at 13-9. However, France responded with Penaud’s try and took advantage of a sin-bin to extend their lead to 19-13.
In the final minutes, France added more points to secure a well-deserved victory.
