Rugby clash of the titans: Host France & NZ kick off new WC where 'the ref will protect the players'
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00:00 After years of careful planning, the 10th Rugby World Cup begins in Paris this Friday.
00:05 20 teams competing spread out across four groups.
00:09 We'll more or less speak to rugby specialist Laurent Belet.
00:12 Thank you for joining us here at France 24.
00:15 The World Cup opens with France host nation taking on New Zealand.
00:20 Before we look at the wider tournament, who's coming out on top tonight?
00:24 It's difficult to say because for sure all blacks are the best team in the world so far.
00:31 But now actually there are four in the IRB ranking and in France we are three.
00:39 So we're very close in rankings.
00:42 France has that home field advantage, a sort of 16th man in the French public.
00:45 But you know it is really difficult because the blacks they lost against South Africa
00:51 two weeks ago with a large loss and so they have to win this game.
00:55 I was yesterday with Victor Vito who won two world championships and he told me that it's
01:02 impossible for the blacks to lose this game because after they will miss confidence because
01:07 it is not if you win against Namibia or Uruguay or Italy that you're going to have enough
01:14 confidence for the quarterfinal.
01:16 So they have to win.
01:17 It will be difficult because the French are a good side, especially with Galtier's Manda.
01:25 The French they play good.
01:26 They have some tremendous players like Pernod, like Dupont, Jalibert, Charles Olivon.
01:31 They can score, they can break the lines.
01:33 And even when we don't control the game, we are able to win the games.
01:39 That's what we've changed for the last few years.
01:42 I notice you say "we".
01:44 Yes, because I'm French.
01:45 I'm French and I like this thing.
01:48 But you know, we have some players to punish the opponent.
01:52 Even when we are not very well on the field, we have some players we can break the line
01:59 and change the game.
02:00 That's what we are waiting for tonight.
02:02 Yeah, and this opening match is important to set the tone for the rest of the tournament
02:05 as you say.
02:06 So France third ranked, New Zealand fourth ranked.
02:09 Who's the favorite for this World Cup?
02:10 It's difficult to say.
02:12 Ireland?
02:13 What we say, what we know.
02:15 It is that the five best teams in the ranking are on the same side of the table.
02:22 So there are three of the best nations who will not be in the semifinals.
02:28 That's incredible, but it's like that.
02:30 But after Irish, they have a lot of confidence.
02:33 They are number one actually.
02:35 South Africa, you have to remember that it will be the 10th World Cup.
02:41 But South Africa just played eight, because for the first two, they weren't at the World
02:47 Cup.
02:48 And they have won three.
02:50 So it is a dangerous side.
02:52 And Irish, there is four nations.
02:57 New Zealand, France, Irish and South Africa.
03:00 And don't forget the Scots.
03:02 Just unfortunately, the Scottish, they are in a pool A with Ireland, with South Africa,
03:09 with Tonga.
03:10 So it's easy.
03:11 Yeah, a lot of familiar names.
03:13 You're mentioning there are some real rugby powerhouses.
03:16 We're seeing another part of the world represented more for the first time ever.
03:20 South America has three teams participating in the World Cup.
03:23 Any chance of Chile or Uruguay or Argentina making a splash?
03:28 Argentina, they can be a surprising team because they have an open table.
03:34 And Argentina, they were third in 2007.
03:39 They were third in 2019, I think.
03:42 And it is a dangerous team for Chile and Uruguay.
03:46 They will go in France, they will participate.
03:48 They will drink some beer and go back home.
03:52 But Argentina, it is a dangerous team because they play now in the four nations.
03:59 They know how to play against the best nation in the world.
04:03 They have some good players.
04:04 They have the confidence.
04:05 So a surprising team, maybe Argentina and Fiji.
04:10 OK, some Pacific Island disruptors, perhaps.
04:14 Any surprises you're anticipating in this World Cup?
04:19 There is always a surprise that you can't preview.
04:24 Remember in 2015 when the Japanese won against South Africa?
04:30 That can happen.
04:32 For the first weekend, we have some tremendous games because there is France and New Zealand,
04:36 for sure.
04:37 But tomorrow in Marseille, you will have England against Argentina.
04:41 And look out, English, because it will be tough against Argentina.
04:45 And on Sunday, it will be the Welsh against Fiji.
04:50 And Fiji can beat the Welsh, that's my mind.
04:53 And for sure, the Scots against the South Africans will be a huge game.
04:59 It's possible.
05:01 And it will be the first World Cup with the rules and the ref will want to protect the
05:08 player.
05:09 So you have many, many, many games where you can have a red card that changes the game.
05:14 OK, I'm not going to hold you to it.
05:17 We're running out of time.
05:18 But one word answer.
05:19 Who do you think is going to win?
05:21 Tonight, I was thinking France.
05:24 But look out to the Blacks because they have to win after the loss against South Africa.
05:29 So I will say Blacks for maybe three points.
05:32 And for the tournament, who's going to win the tournament?
05:35 France.
05:36 OK, all right, Laurent.
05:37 Thank you very much.
05:38 Showing your true colors, Laurent Bellier.
05:39 I'm French.
05:40 Rugby specialist.