Antoine Bienvault / Photo credit: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP 13:58 pm, September 08, 2023

Only a few hours left before the kick-off of the long-awaited opening match of the Rugby World Cup between France and New Zealand. On the program for the Blues this Friday: relaxation and rest before a scheduled arrival at 19:30 at the Stade de France.

Rarely has a Rugby World Cup generated so much excitement in France. In a few hours, the curtain raiser of this 2023 World Cup will take place at the Stade de France with a very enticing France-New Zealand (to follow live and in full on Europe 1 from 21:15). The players will be free this afternoon to prepare for the event and relax as they wish in their hotel in Rueil-Malmaison in the Hauts-de-Seine.

"They are very approachable, very friendly"

Some take advantage of their families, like the coach, Fabien Galthié, who accompanied one of his relatives to his taxi in the morning, when other players try to escape the suffocation that strikes the Paris region by taking advantage of the swimming pool of the establishment. Around the hotel, supporters prowl and hope to meet their idol, like Jerome who comes for the third day in a row and who was even able to exchange with some players this Thursday.

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"They are very approachable, very friendly, relaxed. There is no stress, they have already done everything to be in shape and yesterday they took advantage of it, they went to play padel. They were smiling," the fan said. These Blues, close to their public, will leave by bus in the late afternoon for an arrival scheduled around 19:30 at the Stade de France. Before the match, the Blues will naturally have to warm up, but Antoine Dupont's teammates will only have ten minutes to get their legs up because of the opening ceremony.