World finally back in Union

Champions in their respective hemispheres at least once in the last two years France and New Zealand will perhaps fittingly kick off the 2023 Rugby World Cup amid the din inside the gloriously lit theatre that is the Stade de France on Friday night.

The match signals the start of the tournament that brings the world in union, for the first time since it was so cruelly divided by the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There has been a mini-revolution in rugby since France, in the quarterfinals, and New Zealand in the semis, exited the stage in Japan four years ago.

Friday's opening match pits the three-time runners up who have been prepped and primed to put on a show and finally transition from bourgeois to full aristocrat, against three-time champion opponents who are desperate to arrest their slide from rugby's ruling class.

The All Blacks arrived in the French capital from Lyon by high-speed train amid the fanfare of a reduced carbon footprint at this World Cup. Their pre-match ritual, however, will likely offset some of the advances in cooling the planet.

They will hope to replace thigh slapping with back patting in the game. They may have won the Rugby Championship but the Springboks provided fresh perspective of the All Blacks vulnerabilities in their recent clash in London.

The All Blacks, however, will almost certainly be better than they were across the Channel almost two weeks ago. A win in Paris will make London feel a continent away.

They've had time to regroup and reassess. The challenge for this All Blacks team is perhaps different to that of any of their predecessors at the World Cup. Sure, they will still be many bookmakers' favourites but the Class of '23 does not have the same air of invincibility.

That bubble has been pricked far too often. They are not entering this tournament to defend their position at the top of the pile. This is a reclamation mission.

France go into the match without the cut and thrust of flyhalf Romain Ntamack, who was injured in a World Cup warm-up match against Scotland, nor heavy-hitting inside centre Jonathan Danty.

France have had to reinvent, if not reconstruct themselves over the last few years. Missing wrecking ball Danty and fine line architect Ntamack are significant blows.

It's been weeks since Ntamack was ruled out against Scotland and Matthieu Jalibert has looked an able replacement. Danty's loss is perhaps a bigger blow.

“We reached a decision, and he understood it,” said head coach Fabien Galthie. “There are four qualifying matches, and then there are the elimination matches.

"The team starting today will evolve. We can't stick to 15 starters and eight finishers. We’re a group of 33, plus those on standby.”

The loss of the heavy-hitting prop Cyril Baille for the opening weeks of the tournament and Paul Willemse for its duration, also threw the cat among the cockerels.

In Willemse's absence the French have opted for beanpole over barrel-chested qualities. Cameron Woki will now partner Thibaud Flament in the second row. They do, however, have the considerable girth of Romain Taofifenua in reserve.

For France to win they, as the Springboks did in London, will have to drag the All Blacks into unknown territory. It speaks volumes of the All Blacks' brand that they are yet to lose a game in the pool stages of the World Cup. That record stands at 31/0.

Like the French, the All Blacks in Brodie Retallick still have a notable absentee in their second row. He is nearing full recovery from a knee injury. As expected hooker Codie Taylor and loose forward Dalton Papali'i return to the starting team.

Perhaps in an attempt to deflect from his team, All Blacks coach Ian Foster pointed to the hosts as the combination expected to perform in front of their fans.

Indeed, one of the biggest question marks hanging over Les Bleus in this campaign is their ability to deal with the pressures that come with playing at home. France are no longer dark horses. Their feats over the past few years have well illuminated rugby's global stage.

“They have to deal with the expectations of their crowd. Part of World Cups is the mental side. It’s about having the confidence and courage to play the game you need to play at the right time. Until it all starts, that’s where we’ll see where people are at,” Foster opined.

Galthie argued they've been managing expectations for a while. “We practise. It's part of the work we've done since the beginning of our mandate. We've evolved, we've progressed in managing the emotions of events.”

It's clear, the clash of the hemispheres demands the world's attention.

Teams

France — Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Gabin Villière; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont (captain); Grégory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, François Cros; Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki; Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Réda Wardi. Substitutes: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Paul Boudehent; Maxime Lucu, Arthur Vincent, Melvyn Jaminet.

New Zealand — Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Telea; Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (captain), Dalton Papali'i; Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett; Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Substitutes: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson; Finlay Christie, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Kickoff: 9.15pm

Referee: Jaco Peyper

Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, Christophe Ridley

TMO: Tom Foley

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