There is a mouthwatering start to the tournament when it kicksoff with what could be a potential final when France face New Zealand in Paris on Friday night. This Pool A opener comes not only with the huge razzmatazz of a great sporting occasion, but the opportunity to see whether the host nation’s stars, led by the world’s best player in scrum-half Antoine Dupont, can rise to it to get a winning start against the three-time world champion All Blacks.
The French also have arguably the world’s best No.8 in Greg Alldritt, great centres in Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty, and a deadly goal-kicker in Thomas Ramos. The French full-back may not be the biggest or best under the high ball, but he is Neil Jenkins-Jonny Wilkinson-Dan Carter good as a goal-kicker, and that matters in World Cups.
The bandwagon of opinion that New Zealand are suddenly no-hopers, and South Africa favourites, because they lost by a record score to the Springboks in a warm-up match at Twickenham is not one that I’m joining.
The New Zealanders will want to turn that around, and they showed in winning the 2023 Rugby Championship title what they can do. For players of the calibre of Will Jordan and Ardie Savea there would be no better stage on which to make a statement than beating the host nation at the start of the greatest rugby show on Earth.
If France lose the French public will suddenly go from optimism to despair, and with the pressure off them, New Zealand will be instantly back among the favourites.
The big matches keep coming in quick succession because the next day you have England v Argentina in Marseille, and on current form I fancy Argentina.
This story is from the September 03, 2023 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the September 03, 2023 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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