Inès Zeghloul, edited by Loane Nader // photo credit: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
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08:11, September 9, 2023
This Friday evening, the French final before time. On the Place de la Concorde in Paris, the supporters felt every second of this meeting.
This Friday, the XV of France won the match against the fierce players of the All Blacks, to launch the Rugby World Cup. It is therefore a very encouraging first victory for the Blues, who were supported by jubilant supporters throughout the evening. And despite their reputation and their famous “haka”, which means dance in Maori, the New Zealand players did not even manage to intimidate young Léopold, a six-year-old supporter. If the latter bets blindly on France’s victory, his dad, “thinks it’s going to be hard, but we’re at home, we have to win, we have no choice.”
“Galthié will re-motivate them”
The kick-off took place at 9:15 p.m., as planned, but the Blues supporters were quickly surprised by a cold shower from New Zealand, with a first try. “It’s scary, it makes you come down to earth above all,” says this Parisian who came to encourage Antoine Dupont’s team. 40,000 supporters held their breath in front of the giant screens, while France led, with a slight lead, 9-8 at half-time. “Galthié will re-motivate them and they will give everything, they will score a try, I hope!”, assures Élodie, another supporter.
The latter was, of course, right to hope since after a first French attempt a second, then a third, would follow. It was therefore an evening as we hoped: a solid French XV, supporters who dance and who no longer tremble until the final whistle, and the deliverance. “The Blacks played very, very well but I think we played better than them, that’s all that needs to be said,” laughs the latter, to the background of the song “Allez les Bleus !”