Antoine Bienvault / Photo credit: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
Only a few hours left before the kick-off of the long-awaited opening match of the Rugby World Cup between France and New Zealand. On the program for the Blues this Friday: relaxation and rest before an arrival scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Stade de France.
Rarely has a Rugby World Cup generated so much excitement in France. In a few hours, the curtain raiser for this 2023 World Cup will take place at the Stade de France with a very enticing France-New Zealand (to be followed live and in full on Europe 1 from 9:15 p.m.). The players will be free this afternoon to prepare for the event and relax as they see fit in their hotel in Rueil-Malmaison in the Hauts-de-Seine.
“They are very accessible, very friendly”
Some take advantage of their families, like the coach, Fabien Galthié, who accompanied one of his relatives to his taxi in the morning, when other players are trying to escape the sweltering heat that is hitting the Paris region by taking advantage of the hotel’s swimming pool. Around the hotel, supporters prowl and hope to come across their idol, like Jérôme who comes for the third day in a row and who was even able to chat with some players this Thursday.
“They are very accessible, very friendly, relaxed. There is no stress, they have already done everything to be in good shape and yesterday they took advantage of it, they went to play padel. They were smiling”, said this fan. These Blues, close to their public, will leave by bus at the end of the afternoon for an arrival scheduled around 7:30 p.m. at the Stade de France. Before the match, the Blues will naturally have to warm up, but Antoine Dupont’s teammates will only have ten minutes to warm up due to the opening ceremony.