Written by Nick Firth (Aussie & Head of Rugby 🏉)
The Rugby World Cup has finally kicked off this evening in Paris as hosts France take on the All Blacks in the opening game on the 8th of September 2023.
Hungry after their narrow defeat to the Welsh in 2019, Les Bleus will be opening the World Cup against three time victors, the mighty All Blacks. Never having won the Rugby World Cup, France is hoping the hometown advantage will give them the edge they need to finally win it.
Where are the games taking place? Which ones are in Paris?
The 48 games will be hosted across nine stadiums in France, showcasing the diversity of the beautiful French landscape. From Bordeaux to Lyon, Nice to Paris, ten cities will be prepared to accommodate spectators, with some returning locations from the 2007 World Cup. Ten games will be hosted in Paris at the spectacular Stade de France. A venue with capacity to hold 80,000, creating an electrifying atmosphere. If you have tickets and are still unsure of your commute, the Metro and RER lines will be open and are friendly to use. The best app for all means of transport around Paris is City Mapper, free & super easy to use!
However, it is important to remember these routes for large events are still being tested for the Olympic Games. So you’ll be gambling at the risk of delay or technical issues. The suggestion? Bike. Stade de France has implemented two 200 bike parking spaces specifically for the Rugby World Cup, and there are easy bike lanes to navigate your way there. Only taking half an hour from Gare du Nord, Velib will help assist you if you didn’t pack a bike. If you’re unsure how to use Velib, we’ve got an article to make you understand it like a local.
If you’re following your team across France we highly recommend the TGV – High Speed Trains to travel from Paris to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille & Nice.
What to do if you don’t have tickets?
With tickets for the finals and semifinals at Stade de France in Paris all sold out, and the resale market selling tickets at prices that would require a second mortgage on the house, attending the game in person might be difficult. Thankfully, we’ve got some great alternatives to taking out that loan.
That said do keep an eye on the Official Site as tickets do keep reappearing at official prices. With many measures in place to stop ticket touting we urge you to take caution buying tickets from unofficial sources.
There are a number of establishments (tried and tested by the team) that do an incredible job of bringing the atmosphere from the grandstand, into four walls.
Belushi’s (10th Arrondissement) right by Gare du Nord is a personal preference, with screens surrounding each table and the House Burger complimenting the experience. If you are searching for kiwis you will find Black Sheep Society in the 11th, packed full of All Blacks supporters. The Bombardier (5th Arr.) is your British pub away from London. Fabulous service and an excellent choice of beers on tap will make it your favourite landmark, overlooking another iconic one, the Pantheon. Towards the north of Paris sees O’Sullivans by the Mill, an Irish Pub that lets the music echo all night, the perfect way to celebrate a win or distract you from a loss. And another venue is Cafe Oz. This bar may not rank on the bucket list attractions in Paris, but the atmosphere when the rugby is playing gives it every reason to be.
The Official Fanzone & rugby village will be in the very centre of Paris – Place de la Concorde, between the Tuileries Gardens and the obelisk at Concorde. The site, at the bottom of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, will host up to 10,000 persons, in central Paris a few steps from the Seine. Free and accessible to everyone, the fan zone is open during the tournament from 2pm to 11.30pm.
What to do between games to make the most of your time.
Whether you’re cycling to Stade de France or heading to O’Sullivans by the Mill, you’ll need to look the part to support your team. Pop up stores are scattered throughout the city such as Place de l’Opera, along the Champs Elysee and at Place de la Concorde. Place de la Concorde also hosts the Paris Rugby Village, a free entry site that will host musical entertainment, rugby training activities, wheelchair rugby, talk shows, a photobooth and more. If you’re after your Rugby fix, Place de la Concorde is the place to be. It’s difficult to miss this landmark, as it has a 23 meter high egyptian obelisk in the heart and a rather fascinating history to it.
But Paris is more than just an obelisk, iron tower and a few old monuments. If you want to indulge in Parisian culture and the stories this city has collected over hundreds of years, join us on a tour of Paris by day or night or on a day trip to Versailles (where the Welsh team are based)! There are Highlight Tours that end before games, and Evening Tours to keep you busy when your team isn’t playing too. We’ve got a variety of tours to fit your schedule, so click that ‘Bike Tours’ tab above and find the one for you!
Les Bleus to bring it home?
Knowing my French colleagues will read this article, I’ll say the chances of Les Bleus winning the World Cup are guaranteed. Mais, la vie ne peut être parfaite. A repeat performance from 2019 would be unacceptable, which saw an incohesive team only make the quarter finals. Following a respectable Six Nations result earlier this year and currently placed fourth in the world rankings, second place should be within reach. If New Zealand decides to adopt flâneur then we may see a French victory, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the lottery than New Zealand taking it easy.
So who will win?
The All Blacks did look on up up until a crushing defeat at Twickenham to current Champions the Springboks. But before you start thinking everything is all normal, Ireland looks poised for a podium finish if all goes well. This would be an exceptional result for the Irish, who have not once made it past the quarter finals in a Rugby World Cup. And my hometown sweethearts, the Wallabies? With the recent departure of Dave Rennie, notable absence of Hooper and current 8th place in the world rankings, it’s not looking promising. I’ll still be supporting the green and gold until the final whistle, which won’t be the finals.
A little Background & ‘Les Bleus’
What is the Rugby World Cup?
The Rugby World Cup is the ultimate decider and challenge to determine the greatest team in Rugby Union. It is the Everest of Rugby, their dream and their purpose of which these players have dedicated their lives to. Each country competes for the Webb Ellis Cup and the bragging rights to go with it. Teams train for years, all for the sensation of lifting the Cup above their heads in victory in becoming the world’s greatest.
Why in France?
France would have had its first opportunity to host the Rugby World Cup in 2007, which saw England triumph over Australia in the finals, seeing the hosts place fourth. However the roots of this world cup stretch to the days of its creation. The decision to create a world cup of rugby union was decided in Paris from the meeting of the International Rugby Football Board (now World Rugby) in 1985. Football (or Soccer for our American friends) is the sport of choice for the French, however the regular appearance in the Six Nations Tournament has prospered an interest in Rugby, now with 15 teams competing on an international stage. The south of France and their cities have opened their arms to the Union, and hence the majority of players see their roots from these cities.
Competing against South Africa and Ireland for the bid to host, France’s bid was successful in 2017. The past few decades has seen France host multiple major sporting events such as the UEFA Champions League Final in 2022, 2007 Rugby World Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup to name a few. Annual events such as the French Open, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Tour de France consistently demonstrate France’s ability to host sporting events that are engaging.
But this also serves as a unique opportunity for France, who are also hosting the Olympic Games in 2024. In preparation for next year’s incredible event, the Rugby World Cup will serve as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the infrastructure, transportation and green ways developed in the last few years.
Who are Les Bleus?
Named ‘Les Bleus’ for the colour of their uniform, the French national team was announced in July by coach Fabien Galthie. It sees the 33-player squad with expected names such as Dupont, Dainty, Ramos and Fickou to name a few. Two players will be representing France in the World Cup for their first time, both from the south being Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Paul Boudehent.
And what are their chances of success?
Knowing my French colleagues will read this article, I’ll say the chances of Les Bleus winning the World Cup are guaranteed. Mais, la vie ne peut être parfaite. A repeat performance from 2019 would be unacceptable, which saw an incohesive team only make the quarter finals. Following a respectable Six Nations result earlier this year and currently placed fourth in the world rankings, second place should be within reach. If New Zealand decides to adopt flâneur then we may see a French victory, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the lottery than New Zealand taking it easy.
