Rugby World Cup hosts France started Pool A as they mean to go on with a thrilling 27-13 win over New Zealand at the Stade de France.
Thanks to tries from Damian Penaud and Melvyn Jaminet - alongside the reliable kicking of Thomas Ramos - France cancelled out a pair of Mark Telea efforts to subject the All Blacks to their first-ever pool-stage defeat.
Not fazed by the intimidating Stade de France atmosphere, New Zealand scored the first try of the 2023 Rugby World Cup after just 93 seconds, as Telea controlled the bounce from Beauden Barrett's cross-field kick to register.
France soon composed themselves after Telea's record-breaking try - the quickest ever in a World Cup opener - and were proving superior in the scrum, as a trio of Ramos penalties saw the hosts enter the break with a slender advantage, and it was their turn to explode out of the blocks in the second period.
However, Les Bleus' quick second-half start counted for nought as Telea charged through right on the touchline in the 43rd minute, although there was a hint of a forward pass from Richie Mo'unga.
The home crowd's frustrations fell on deaf ears, though, and Mo'unga was the saviour for his side once more in the 53rd minute, producing a try-saving last-ditch tackle on Penaud.
Just two minutes later, though, Penaud was freed in a similar position on the wing by Matthieu Jalibert to score France's first try of the tournament and 30th overall, before a Ramos conversion and fourth successful penalty in the 65th minute saw the hosts extend their lead to six.
The Toulouse fullback repeated the trick six minutes from time to seemingly put France out of sight, and any doubt was erased in the 78th minute, as Jaminet pounced on a bounce and rolled over the line.
Jaminet missed the resulting conversion attempt - despite one touch judge raising his flag and the other not - but that did not dampen the celebrations in Saint-Denis, as France now enjoy five full recovery days before meeting Uruguay at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on September 14.
Meanwhile, New Zealand will aim to get off the mark at the second attempt when they square off against Namibia at the Stadium de Toulouse next Friday.
Ben Knapton
