The trains are packed and thousands descend on Stade de France in full voice to support the hosts. There’s more than three hours before kickoff.
France has gotten behind the World Cup like no other.
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The 78,690-strong crowd felt like 100k and could have easily surpassed that number such is the demand for tickets in the country.
Walking the streets hours before the game, it’s a sea of blue with the odd patches of black from the Kiwi fans that have made the journey over.
The journey to the stadium is crammed with excited punters hoping this is the year France can bring it home.
The heat does nothing to dull their passion, with temperatures not dropping below 25 until well after the game.
The opening ceremony contains all the French flair and exuberance you’d expect, headlined by renowned actor Jean Dujardin.
Dujardin flies high and as the Eiffel Tower is blown up, the crowd go wild.
This continues into the opening remarks, with World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont and French President Emmanuel Macron drowned out by a mixture of boos and the French anthem, the first of many renditions of the night.
On a stage like this, there was always going to be a twist. Unfortunately for the Kiwis, it was Sam Cane’s back, ruining him out for the night.
It didn’t faze them early with a 90-second try to Mark Telea, evoking memories of Tim Horan in 1999.
But this failed to quiet the home crowd, who rode every decision and showed why any team that will face them are going up against an army.
Replacement hooker Peato Mauvaka’s chip and chase raises them but the ground rattles with boos when referee Jaco Peyper doesn’t give them the penalty when he is taken off the ball.
It only goes to another level when the looping pass for Mark Telea’s second try is called backwards and intensifies when the fans believe Peyper missed one of their players getting taken out minutes later.
They also understand the style of Rugby that they hope will deliver France the title. Every kick that wins a territory advantage is cheered whilst each scrum has a backing of noise and chants behind it, gunning for a penalty for Thomas Ramos to slot.
In the end, the pressure and the boot of Ramos was too much, kicking France to victory to delight the crowd.
It's what the tournament needed, the hosts starting with a strong win that establishes them as the team to beat.
A quick five things:
1/ Big injuries
Marchand is a huge loss even with Peato Mauvaka’s solid night off the bench.
He’s the heart and soul of their pack and the hosts will be praying it’s nothing major
Likewise Sam Cane, with the All Blacks getting next to no breakdown pressure or pilfers
2/ Jordan’s turning point
Will Jordan’s dangerous tackle was the spark needed for an ongoing arm wrestle to fall the French’s way.
It was a reckless play and allowed France to march away with the game. The Kiwis will be hoping it’s nothing more than a warning
3/ The battle of the wingers
Mark Telea and Damian Penaud were the first two scorers of the 2023 World Cup and it feels like they’ll be battling it out for top try scorer.
Both had two clear opportunities, with only a great cover tackle from Richie Mo’unga stopping Penaud from a double. At this stage, it’s Telea 2-1 Penaud
4/ France anthem
It’s a very French thing to have their wonderful anthem emerge as their most popular chant, blaring around the ground when they needed a lift.
Can you imagine an Australian crowd starting a similar chant?
5/ The beloved Kiwi hero
Sam Whitelock was one of the few Kiwis not booed by the French crowd during the game.
He got a great idea of what to expect from his upcoming move to Pau, cheered whenever he featured on the big screen and on his departure from the ground
