BLACK & BLEUS
Penaud inspires hosts to win over All Blacks
DAMIAN PENAUD went from villain to hero to give France a winning start to their World Cup and send the host nation into raptures last night.
The son of former Saracens star Alain was at fault for both New Zealand tries and spilt one of his own over the Kiwi line.
But with the All Blacks eyeing a shock victory he linked with Mathieu Jalibert to dramatically steal the prize back for France.
The relief was tangible as for long periods it had felt Les Bleus were being crushed by weight of expectation.
Hosts, favourites, everyone’s second team, they stepped into into a red-hot atmosphere and froze.
Fervour
The crowd had been whipped into a fervour by an opening ceremony which felt a lot like Danny Boyle’s London 2012 epic with a Gallic twist.
They allowed Dan Carter to bring out the trophy but it was clear they felt it would be the first and last time a Kiwi got his hands on the prize.
But then the French anthem, such a rallying point, was out of step with the choir and that sense of mistiming continued with the visitors kicking off and immediately shredding Shaun Edwards’ vaunted defence.
Chipping
France scrambled, but not in time to prevent Beauden Barrett chipping for Mark Telea to elude Penaud and score with just 93 seconds gone.
The French should have known better to think the All Blacks, three-time world champions, would play the role of stooges.
Their last meaningful World Cup tie had been a semi-final loss to England. Their last Test a record defeat by South Africa. You bet they were up for this.
Thomas Ramos twice kicked France into the lead before half-time but only one side played with a joie de vivre and it was not the hosts.
Nerves
We had been here before with France in 2007 when opening night nerves handed Argentina a shock win.
This is a much better side but key lapses in concentration almost cost them as Penaud again allowed Telea in at the start of the second half.
On another night it would have haunted him. But not this one.
The winger struck, releasing the pressure valve, the ABs lost Will Jordan to the bin and France were away — handing the men in black their first ever World Cup pool defeat.