LILLE, France (AP) — Beating New Zealand to open the Rugby World Cup in Paris last week was three years in the making for France.
That box was ticked in impressive fashion.
France overcame conceding tries at the start of each half to win 27-13.
Les Tricolores seemed to effortlessly shoulder the weight of expectations from a packed Stade de France crowd of 78,690 and a local TV audience of 15.4 million. France’s most watched event all year drew a bigger audience than for the France soccer team’s opening game at the men’s World Cup in Qatar. What’s more, the big screens at the Paris rugby village in Place de la Concorde attracted more than 40,000 people.
“We had to switch from a match we had focused on for three years to this one against Uruguay in a short space of time,” France coach Fabien Galthie said. “We’ve put together a team that we feel is ready in terms of freshness, preparation and combinations.”
FRANCE vs URUGUAY (First meeting)
There are 12 changes to France’s starting 15 that beat New Zealand. Only lock Cameron Woki, inside back Yoram Moefana and wing Gabin Villiere have retained their starting positions.
No. 8 Anthony Jelonch captains the team for the first time since the 2021 tour of Australia, in his first match in nearly seven months. He ruptured his ACL in the Six Nations in February.
Flyhalf Antoine Hastoy plays his fifth career test, and winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey will become France’s youngest World Cup player at 20 years, 87 days, eclipsing Romain Ntamack.
With New Zealand out of the way, France’s aim is to sweep through Pool A and top a World Cup pool for the first time in 20 years.
“The fact that we’ve won against the (All) Blacks inevitably takes the pressure off us,” fullback Melvyn Jaminet said. “But we mustn’t let up, the staff won’t let us. When we get up in the morning and don’t do the paperwork, they’re there to remind us.”
Uruguay has won only three of 15 matches across four tournaments. Los Teros scored a try in all four pool games at the 2019 World Cup for the first time.
They have 11 survivors from 2019 in the starting 15 for their opening match.
Five of the matchday 23 play their club rugby in France, including Castres scrumhalf Santiago Arata, who has recovered from a broken hand in May to start his first test since November 2021.
“We are crazy about making history in this World Cup,” backs coach Joaquin Pastore said. “It is our first match in the World Cup and it will be historic. First time against France. Uruguay is arriving in a way that it has never done before. Before we were amateurs, and today we arrived with a good players’ base.”
Uruguay’s main goal in the pool is to beat Italy and Namibia to seal direct qualification for the next World Cup, but winger Ignacio Facciolo said they will also take the matches against France and New Zealand seriously.
“We do not rule out the France and New Zealand games,” Facciolo said. “We are going to play them as equals and we are going to go out and win. Uruguay will never give up a game as a lost cause.”
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