The Stade de France has chosen its match well to show off its new blue-white-red lighting.
The XV of France shone with a thousand lights in this enclosure with renovated lights, offering the 79,041 spectators a historic success, the largest in the history of the Blues against the All Blacks.
A triumph that the players of Fabien Galthié owe above all to their talent and their courage in the fight, but also, a little, to this public which, in the opinion of all the regulars of the Stade de France, was in fusion like never this Saturday night.
“From the start on the pitch, we were immersed in the atmosphere, admitted captain Antoine Dupont after the match. I had never heard the hymns ring out so loud in this stadium. The audience was behind us, it helped us believe in ourselves. I'd rather be French than New Zealander tonight! "Full-back Melvyn Jaminet agrees:" Everyone was 200%. With this full stadium, this incredible atmosphere, you can only be in the game when you enter a stadium like that. It did us good ”. The thunderous start to the Blues' match is also to be credited to the public.
The All Blacks, defeated after the match, admitted it straight away without even being asked the question.
“I had never seen that, it was a very special environment, there was a lot of noise,” breathes New Zealand coach Ian Foster.
“It was really very noisy, confirms his captain Sam Whitelock.
We have to learn to play in this kind of atmosphere outside.
The crowd supported France, they carried them.
"
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/TWvX4AqubW
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) November 20, 2021
After a presentation all in rhinestones and sequins of the pre-match World Cup trophy, then this Marseillaise sung at the top of the lungs by the 80,000 people, the public vibrated at the start with the first breakthroughs of Ntamack or Jaminet. The match is on, and the crowd will not stop giving voice, winning the All Blacks, a little lost in the first half.
These encouragements have, by the admission of the players, had their importance also during the bad passage of the XV of France at the beginning of the second period, when the All Blacks return to two points. “We heard them support us in our weak times, not just in our strong times,” explains Jonathan Danty. We needed that. It did us a lot of good, what is more after the pandemic where we experienced a lot of games behind closed doors ”. The Blues did not fail to thank the crowd with a
frenzied
clapping
at the final whistle.
This reunion at the best time, with a very high level match, promises a lot before the Six Nations Tournament 2022, where the Blues will play three times at home (Italy, Ireland and England closing on March 19).
And even more for the next World Cup, which will open, here in Saint-Denis, with a shock against these same All Blacks, September 8, 2023. The public has made an appointment.