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France name star-studded team to play All Blacks in World Cup opener
By Finn Morton
In the wake of some unfortunate injuries to key players, France coach Fabien Galthie has named a near full-strength side to take on the All Blacks in Friday night’s Rugby World Cup opener.
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Les Bleus will be without the likes of Romain Ntamack, Jonathan Danty and Paul Willemse when they take the field at Stade de France in front of more than 80,000 supporters, but have a named a star-studded side in their absence.
Coach Galthie has made three changes to the starting side that played Australia just under two weeks ago, including a big change in the second row.
With Willemse going down with a World Cup-ending injury, Racing 92 lock Cameron Woki comes into the starting side. Woki joins Thibaud Flament in a menacing French second row.
France has also made one change to their front row, with prop Reda Wardi joining Julien Marchand and Uini Atonio in the First XV.
The backrow remains unchanged with Francois Cros and Charles Ollivon set to monitor the flanks while world-class No. 8 Gregory Alldritt takes his place at the back of the scrum.
Halfback Antoine Dupont, who is arguably the world’s best player, joins flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert in the halves once again this week. The new-look centre pairing of Yoram Moefana and Gael Fickou will line up outside them.
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Gabin Villiere, Damian Penaud and Thomas Ramos were all exceptional against Eddie Jones’ Wallabies, and will look to replicate that form on Friday night.
The highly anticipated Rugby World Cup opener between France and New Zealand is set to get underway at 9.15 pm local time at Stade de France.
French team to take on New Zealand
- Reda Wardi
- Julien Marchand
- Uini Atonio
- Cameron Woki
- Thibaud Flament
- Francois Cros
- Charles Ollivon
- Gregory Alldritt
- Antoine Dupont
- Matthieu Jalibert
- Gabin Villiere
- Yoram Moefana
- Gael Fickou
- Damian Penaud
- Thomas Ramos
Replacements:
- Peato Mauvaka
- Jean-Baptiste Gros
- Dorian Aldegheri
- Romain Taofifenua
- Paul Boudehent
- Maxime Lucu
- Arthur Vincent
- Melvyn Jaminet
Hey Ryan, I am not an expert. Can you tell me tell me what "Tactics" will All Blacks employ to beat France. . . I certainly can't think of any.....
All Blacks need to "get under the skin" of the French. The French play relies very much on emotion, and if you can upset them they tend to lose their focus.
FRANCE 38 NEW ZEALAND 19.... That would be flattering
Good side, missing some big names to injury, but the French mean business!!
Go France!
We need some of those wonderful breakout tries from your own try line... End to end and side to side! No one can do it like you guys when you are on song.
I support the Springboks and any team playing the All Blacks...
Should be a cracker of a game!
Getting over a national tendency to choke is going to be their biggest hurdle. Psychologically it is going to be playing on their minds that they’ve lost more matches in finals than any other team ever and a single match win in the year post COVID that the ABs were wheeled out to play every available team on the planet to replenish the coffers after epic financial losses is hardly representative of the legacy between these teams when they haven’t won a series since 1994. All Blacks have won 48 Tests against France's 13, with one match drawn.
Les Bleus didn’t even win six nations this year and their failure at home soccer World Cups will also be gnawing away at their often fragile minds. Will we see a brain explosion because someone sledges Du Pont’s sister?
Or a hat trick in a final only to still lose?
I do hope for the French self esteem they do finally go all the way but this article is getting ahead of itself.
Don't think the previously failed finals will have an impact. Actually, each year France reached the world cup final, they were predicted to be out way sooner. Most of the players will have memory of winning the U20 trophies rather than the previous senior world cups finals which involve totally different generations. Anyway for both New-Zealand and France, the match against Italy and the quater-final will matter more than the opener.
And failure at home soccer world cup ? The only home soccer world cup has been won, unless you means the 1938 one for some reasons.
France far and away has been the smartest team from the 2020 Six Nations until now at getting so-called secondary and tertiary players caps in the national side. Plugging in a few pieces won’t make too much of a difference for them. DuPont will reign in and release Jalibert when the time is right. As far as the ABs are concerned, this won’t be a hiding as it was two weeks ago, but France will win by 8-10 in a cracker match.
Woe to those who write off the ABs as in the comments below. They will.be ready and they will win this one and put the critics to silence. As they always do. Abs to win 35 -25. Go Abs
Close to the best team France can pitch.
Moefana doesn't seam as forceful as 2 years ago, no way as contributive as Danty, but Vincent no better.
Jalibert viewed as under par to Ntamack, but can be incredibly decisive.
Never been convinced by Willemse, but most of n°5 work underground and harder to see.
Woki back in 2021 was tremendous, haven't seen much lately.
2nd row far lighter & arial than with PW. Should be secure gaining lineouts, but what what scrummaging... ?
I'm lucky to attend that one in Stade de France, cant wait !
NZ missing Retallick, Lomax and Frizell. Evens things up a lot. That's done real grunt in the team gone missing
Willemse never fully recovered from his injuries this season. But at #5, besides Tao, there is no real equivalent. Flament, though he has other qualities, doesn't have his impact. If France plays the boks at some point, he will be missed.
Feel bad for the All Blacks, just hope they’re not embarrassed too badly. This match and the QF are real mountains for them to climb. But then again, they are the Alll Blacks, anything can happen!
As long as they scare most opponents, simply thanks to their "trademark", they have an invisible edge.
Another chainsaw massacre awaiting for the ABs. Hopefully folks won't jump off buildings or bridges. They should have added Razor as consultant to the team for the WC. No harm in that.
You have no idea mate the All Blacks will beat them comfortably by 15 The All Blacks are still the best
Actually I am happy they stuck with Foster - just think it’s suspect changing coaches less than 12 months before a RWC. This way Razor will come in on a clean slate and make his own mark and not take over someone else’s mess. Same thing they did to Eddie Jones and now is England any better for it - doubt it. Venture to say they look rudderless. Lucky they landed in a easy pool.
That's going to be a right humdinger of a match.
Come on All Blacks, cheering you from SA! 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦