Full-back Thomas Ramos kicked 17 factors to assist France to an exhilarating 27-13 victory over New Zealand in Friday’s opening sport of the Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand’s loss marks the primary time the All Blacks have ever misplaced a pool match at a Rugby World Cup.
Ramos kicked 5 penalites and a conversion at a sold-out Stade de France because the hosts, main contenders for the title, began the event in fashion.
Winger Mark Telea claimed two tries for three-time winners All Blacks, who had led 13-9 with greater than half an hour to play however went on to lose their first ever World Cup pool sport in sizzling and humid circumstances in Paris.
After a vibrant opening ceremony the All Blacks’ Haka was effectively revered by the sold-out Stade de France crowd in addition to by Les Bleus.
New Zealand made a late change as captain Same Cane was dominated out, Tupou Vaa’i coming in from the bench with Dalton Papali’i shifting from blindside flanker to the openside as No. 8 Ardie Savea took over as skipper, leaving Ian Foster’s aspect mild on the breakdown.
But the All Blacks wanted simply 93 seconds to put to mattress any thought of a hangover from final month’s document defeat by South Africa as Telea collected a Beauden Barrett kick within the nook to attain and to silence the French supporters.
Ramos then lower the rating to 5-3 with a penalty after Papali’i used to be pinned at a breakdown after 5 minutes.
After a frantic opening quarter, Ramos put his aspect into the lead with a second penalty earlier than Mo’unga responded with one among his personal to make it 8-6.
After 25 minutes, the gamers benefitted from a primary of two water breaks with temperatures reaching 29 levels Celsius (84.3 levels Fahrenheit).
New Zealand-born France tight-head prop Uini Atonio had the benefit at scrum time and received a penalty that Ramos slotted to make it 9-8 at half-time, with the gamers seeming glad to have the break because of the sauna-like circumstances.
Telea claimed his second of proceedings within the reverse nook, from an authentic Savea chip kick simply three minutes into the second interval.
Mo’unga missed one other conversion as the house supporters voiced their displeasure at playmaker Mo’unga’s help for Telea, claiming a ahead cross, however New Zealand led 13-9.
The battle at scrum-half between Antoine Dupont and Aaron Smith was extremely anticipated and it was All Black Smith who had the higher hand, scragging Dupont down with well-timed tackles twice simply after 50 minutes.
With little below half an hour play, Les Bleus got here inside inches of the New Zealand line however Mo’unga’s good last-ditch deal with stopped Penaud from grounding the ball.
Two minutes later, Penaud bought his strive as fly-half Matthieu Jalibert discovered him in the identical nook earlier than Ramos’ touch-line conversion made it 16-13.
Things bought worse for New Zealand two phases after the restart as winger Will Jordan was despatched to the sin-bin for taking Ramos out within the air, with the momentum swung massively to the house aspect’s benefit.
Ramos added a fourth penalty to make it 19-13 earlier than Jordan returned from the sin-bin to arrange a really tense end.
Jordan was in sizzling water shortly after his return for the same incident however referee Jaco Peyper selected to solely award a penalty for his offence, which Ramos gladly kicked to make it 22-13 with seven minutes to play.
The cherry was put atop the French cake as Arthur Vincent went over with two minutes to play, sending the house crowd wild in celebration.
More to come back.
Source: www.news.com.au
