All Blacks and France clash in heavyweight 2023 World Cup opener

PARIS: New Zealand will dive straight into the deep end when they open their bid for a fourth World Cup title against hosts France in the opening game of the 2023 tournament, according to the fixture schedule revealed on Friday.

The All Blacks, champions in 1987, 2011 and 2015, face Les Bleus at the Stade de France in Paris on Sept.8, the first day of the gruelling seven-week tournament.

The final will be at the Stade de France on Oct.28.

New Zealand and France are in Pool A along with Six Nations whipping boys Italy and two qualifiers - one from the Americas and one from Africa - and are expected to comfortably make the quarter-finals.

The winner of the group will face the runner-up of Pool B, a tough section which features defending champions South Africa, Ireland and Scotland.

The All Blacks have met France seven times at the World Cup, the most of any country, and Italy five times, with the 2019 match in Japan cancelled because of Typhoon Hagibis.

“It’s going to be a massive occasion playing France in the opening match of the tournament,” said All Blacks captain Sam Cane.

“Matches between our two sides have been some of the most celebrated games in our history, so it’ll be fantastic to meet them once again.

“Italy have also been a regular opponent at rugby World Cups for us and it was a shame our match in 2019 was cancelled, so it’ll be great to play them again.”

New Zealand beat France in the final of the inaugural competition in 1987 and again 8-7 in the 2011 final, both of which were played in Auckland.

The French can boast two wins over the triple world champions at the tournament -- 43-31 in the 1999 semi-finals, one of the greatest comeback wins in World Cup history, and 20-18 in the last eight in 2007.

“It’s the Holy Grail as a player to play a World Cup at home and start against the New Zealanders,” said France fly-half Romain Ntamack whose father Emile played in the 1999 classic.

“To start against the best team ever, it doesn’t get beter. We’ll all be thinking long and hard about it right up to kick-off.

“We will inevitably have a litle knot in the stomach when playing this match but we will have to take full advantage of it because it will perhaps be one of the most beautiful matches of our life.”