Robert Kitson’s match report from Stade de France is here: That was a thrilling start to the tournament, overall, and even the opening ceremony was fun. Thanks for reading and emailing in … and I’ll see you tomorrow for much more. Confusion reigns over that final conversion by Jaminet. It seems one touch judge raised the flag to indicate it had been scored, and the other didn’t. We’ll go with 27-13 final score … and that has just been confirmed that he did indeed miss. On ITV pundit duty, O’Driscoll and Alphonsi both reckon New Zealand were a bit disappointing tonight. I thought they had their moments … either way, history has been made, and the All Blacks have lost a pool match at a Rugby World Cup. Alldritt, who is named player of the match, speaks: “A really, really tough game … we were expecting tough opposition … I’m proud to be French tonight. “I said before, the one who was going to win was the team that played for 80 minutes. It’s a great night for us. “It was really, really hot. Fantastic support in the stadium. We are looking forward to the next game. We are not champion now. We have to keep working and go step by step.” Sébastien Chabal is there to congratulate him! It was excellent to see Ioane race through the middle of the French defence on the very first attack of the game, on first-phase possession. Hopefully that sets the tone for the tournament? We’ll see more line breaks than we did back in 2007, I reckon. Seemingly some confusion in the official scorers’ box this evening. Not for the first time, a conversion was incorrectly added to the score following a try … the final score was 27-13 to France. Full time! France 27-13 New Zealand C’est comme ça. That delivered on all the pre-tournament promise and excitement in so many ways … and most importantly for France, they are off to the start they wanted. Advantage Les Bleus in Pool A. France kicked the ball a lot, but true to form, the kicking set up some scintillating rugby. Try! 77 min: France 27-13 New Zealand (Jaminet) A brilliant box kick by Lucu, who is on for Dupont, after an equally smart turnover by France, puts Mo’unga under plenty of pressure in the 22 and Jaminet capitalises on the bouncing ball to flop over! France have done it now for sure! 77 min: I should have mentioned that Smith, the New Zealand scrum-half, went off for Jacobson a few minutes ago. 75 min: Ooooh, nearly an inspired score by France: Penaud chases a diagonal grubber kick into the 22, and grabs it, dives close to the try-line, and pops the ball up for Ramos who touches down. But Penaud knocked it on. The wing smiles, through his gumshield, despite the score being disallowed and it feels like any opening-night nerves have dissipated for the hosts now. They feel like they have this won. Penalty! 73 min: France 22-13 New Zealand (Ramos) The boot of Thomas Ramos, among other things, looks set to win this for France and get them off to a strong start at their own tournament. 71 min: Having recently come on from the sin bin for a similar crime, Jordan nearly takes Ramos out in the air again. In fact he does take him out, but only to the extent that it’s a penalty. Ramos will try and take France more than a converted score clear … 70 min: Two-try Telea goes off, Fainga’anuku comes on for New Zealand. 68 min: New Zealand’s Retallick, who only came into the matchday 22 after the injury to Cane, is on for Whitelock. 68 min: France, again, put boot to ball, with a searching kick over the top down the left wing, looking for Villiere who gets on his bike to chase it. Savea tidies it up well though. Jordan is back from the sin bin. Penalty! 64 min: France 19-13 New Zealand Ramos punishes New Zealand off the tee yet again, and it’s a six-point game. The All Blacks are still down to 14 men following the yellow card for the wing Will Jordan. What impact will the next 15 minutes or so have on the rest of this tournament? Can France hang on for the win? 64 min: The stats say France have missed 27 tackles, New Zealand have missed 15. 61 min: We still have about a quarter of the match to go … the players took a break, a couple of minutes ago, to take on some water. Fatigue is going to be a big factor with the intense heat in Paris and the benches are no doubt going to be emptied. France’s Cros goes off, for Boudenhet. Still all to play for. Allez! 59 min: Ramos misses quite an easy penalty from right of the posts. Will that be costly? The official confirms that Jordan’s yellow card will not be upgraded. Meanwhile, some replacements: Moefana off for Vincent, for France, Jacobsen on for Vaa’i, for New Zealand. Yellow card! 57 min: New Zealand"s Jordan The All Blacks wing Jordan crashes into an over-eager tackle with a French player – was it Villiere? – airborne to catch a high kick. He falls awkwardly and the crowd wail their disapproval. A yellow card is the result, and it could even by upgraded to a red in the bunker system. I fancy a yellow will be deemed enough though. Try! 54 min: France 16-13 New Zealand (Penaud) Oh yes! Jalibert embarks on a jinking run deep into the All Blacks’ 22 … there is a big overlap for Penaud, Jalibert finds him, and he dives over the line and celebrates passionately. He gives Jalibert a kiss too. Ramos belts the conversion through the posts, and the Stade de France is rocking. 53 min: Replacements for both teams. De Groot makes way for Tuungafasi, Laulala off for Newell. Atonio of France off for Aldegheri. 52 min: Whoah! Is Penaud over in the corner? It looks like he’s either knocked it on or gone into touch … but it was an amazing bit of work by the France wing to collect a kick by Jalibert, and then in turn by Mo’unga, to knock the ball out of Penaud’s hands as he was diving over the try-line. No try. Lovely move by France, and sensational defending by New Zealand. 50 min: The ball accidentally flicks off Peyper, the referee, on New Zealand’s possession and he gives the All Blacks a scrum on their 22. Beauden Barrett skews the kick for touch somewhat, and France have a lineout in the All Blacks’ half. 49 min: Taofifenua comes on for France in the second row, in place of Woki. 48 min: So far, New Zealand have made 423 in metres carried v 215 for France. At half time O’Driscoll mentioned that France kicked 42 times in the first half. No doubt which team is trying to keep the ball in hand more … 46 min: Flament, the France second row, barges into the 22 and is brought down … he loses the ball in contact but a scrum to France is the result for an apparent knock-on by an All Black hand. Try! 42 min: France 9-13 New Zealand Wow! New Zealand certainly don’t waste their next possession. Savea puts in a cute little chip kick with his left foot, over the covering defence in the middle of the pitch. Ioane gathers the ball and spins a looping pass out to the left – the ball bounces, but kindly for Telea, who has a clear run into the line in the corner. Penaud looks unhappy about something, and the crowd think it’s a forward pass by Ioane when they see it on the replay on the big screen … but the score stands, and the conversion is missed by Mo’unga. 41 min: Wardi sets the tone for a big start to the half for France, embarking on a seriously powerful run down the left wing. Alldritt and others take it up, battering to within a couple of metres, but Cros is penalised and New Zealand can clear after winning a penalty. Second half kick-off! France, in their white jerseys, get the second half under way. Galthié is pictured in the French changing room, looking typically cool, despite the fierce heat. He’s even wearing a white shirt, but there is not a sweat patch in sight. In the ITV studio, Brian O’Driscoll says Dupont’s kicking game has been excellent, and also mentioned the French work at the breakdown (the most notable example came from that brilliant turnover by Alldritt close to half time). Wilkinson, meanwhile, points out that the France scrum has been pretty dominant. Half time! France 9-8 New Zealand An excellent half of rugby from both teams: the boot of Thomas Ramos has France in the lead, but it’s the All Blacks who have shown the most attacking quality and an admirable commitment to attacking by putting the ball through the hands. The tone was set by Ioane’s sprint straight through a gap with their very first possession of the match, the led to the first try, scored by Telea after a wonderful cross-kick by Beauden Barrett. All in all, more of the same, please … 39 min: Once again it is a wave of All Black shirts moving into the French 22. They are putting pressure on the French defence, by virtue of some excellent offloading and running lines, pretty much every time they get possession. It’s very impressive: but so is the French defence, and they repel the latest assault on their line by the three-times champions. 35 min: New Zealand, who have played some lovely stuff, work through another attack into the French half, but some sensational work by Alldritt sees him rip the ball away at a ruck. Villiere tries to have a dart from deep but is tackled by several hulking opponents. Ramos then belts the ball long, down the middle. 32 min: The home crowd don’t care about the intense heat in Paris and they are enjoying this occasion immensely. Ramos puts another penalty attempt wide from the French right. He shakes his head having failed to stretch the hosts’ lead to four. 29 min: Beauden Barrett, brilliantly, sticks a high kick up down the middle and rushes forwards to leap up and claim it against the odds. Mo’unga keeps the attack going with another kick. Villiere then tries to run it out of a dangerous area for France, down in the corner on their left-hand side, but New Zealand counter-ruck and win the ball back, and they go through another couple of phases. De Groot, unfortunately for him, suffers another moment to forget when he knocks on in contact inside the 22 and France can clear. Penalty! 28 min: France 9-8 New Zealand (Ramos) This has been a ding-dong battle so far. 27 min: A scrum on halfway. The All Blacks’ prop Ethan de Groot is penalised by Peyper, the referee, for a second time … France will kick for the posts after Uini Atonio gets on top again in the front-row battle. Penalty! 25min: France 6-8 New Zealand (Mo"unga) The All Blacks are rewarded for a fine attacking move, switching between the backs and forwards, and they are back in the lead. 23 min: New Zealand’s backline works through a lovely, sweeping passing move and Mo’unga runs it into the 22, showing good strength and balance. Then they go to the forwards, and they recycle the ball several times as they have a bash at forcing over the try-line, with Scott Barrett in particular nearly getting over. Eventually there is a knock-on, but the referee Peyper pulls it back for an earlier penalty. 19 min: Penalty! France 6-5 New Zealand (Ramos) France lead! Ramos strokes a straightforward penalty through the sticks from a central area and the hosts, after a shaky start, are in the lead. The France No 8 Alldritt is playing like a man possessed, crashing into the contact area with enthusiasm at every opportunity. 15 min: Mauvaka, the replacement hooker, takes a quick lineout to Dupont. Mauvaka bursts down the touchline on the French left showing superb pace for a front-rower. He kicks ahead into space, and appears to be taken out by an All Blacks defender, and the French crowd roar their disapproval. Alldritt then gets hands on the ball and smashes into contact in terrifying fashion. New Zealand get it back, and the try-scorer Telea has a dart on the All Blacks’ left. This is a high-tempo start, despite the high temperatures in Paris … a water break will be coming up shortly. 12 min: Bad news for France. The hooker, Julien Marchand, trudges off injured. Hopefully it’s not serious … but anyway, Peato Mauvaka comes on. 9 min: The upshot of the scruffy scrum is a France clearing kick, and a New Zealand lineout. They muck that up, though, and France are able to attack down their left wing. Moefana has a dart but is tackled efficiently … France move through another phase back into a central area, but good competition at the breakdown by New Zealand wins them a scrum put-in. They then win a free-kick at the resulting scrum when the referee, Jaco Peyper, says France engaged early. 8 min: The first scrum of the evening arrives, in a central area around halfway. French put-in. The ball is a bit messy for Dupont out of the back of the scrum, and his opposite number, Smith, is all over him as a result. Penalty! 5 min: France 3-5 New Zealand France get on the board thanks to a straightforward penalty by Thomas Ramos. That first five minutes could have been worse for them … regardless, the gaps in their defence will be worrying Shaun Edwards. Try! 2 min: France 0-5 New Zealand (Telea) In New Zealand’s first possession after a French clearing kick to halfway, Rieko Ioane charges on to a flat pass on first phase, roaring through a gap in the defensive line at full speed, deep into the French half. What a start. Ioane is tackled in the 22, but the All Blacks end up winning a penalty when France appear to have snatched the ball back. They take a lineout pretty quickly, Beauden Barrett clips a fantastic cross-kick over to the opposite side of the field, and Telea does well to gather it and touch down despite the attention of Damien Penaud. The conversion is missed, and the scoreboard incorrectly says 0-7 momentarily. It’s 0-5. First half kick-off! The All Blacks kick off. The 2023 Rugby World Cup has begun. France kick for touch around halfway. France face down the Haka. The French wing Villiere stands motionless, scrum-cap on, eyeballing the opposition … the crowd roars. And we’re ready to go. “I’m so excited,” emails Peter. “And being the England type, I think we won’t get out of the group. But I’m still so excited.” Updated teams A reminder that Sam Cane, who was due to lead the All Blacks, has been ruled out by injury. Tupou Vaa’i comes into the team as a late replacement, with Papali’i switching to openside flanker. France: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Villière; Jalibert, Dupont (capt.); Wardi, Marchand, Atonio, Woki, Flament, Cros, Ollivon, Alldritt. Replacements: Mauvaka, Gros, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Boudehent, Lucu, Vincent, Jaminet. New Zealand: Barrett; Jordan, Ioane, Lienert-Brown, Telea; Mo’unga, Smith; de Groot, Taylor, Laulala, Whitelock, Barrett, Vaa’i, Papali’i, Savea (capt.). Replacements: Taukei’aho, Tuungafasi, Newell, Retallick, Jacobson, Christie, Havili, Fainga’anuku. Here we go! This is really happening … the teams have emerged on to the pitch at Stade de France. Ardie Savea, who has stepped up as captain for New Zealand tonight with Sam Cane injured, has a reassuring word with the mascot standing alongside him.