What better way for hosts France to prepare for the World Cup spectacular than with a good old-fashioned sideshow? And France duly delivered a week before their opening match against New Zealand with a rumpus over the selection of Bastien Chalureau after Paul Willemse withdrew from the 33-man squad with a thigh injury.
Several politicians condemned Chalureau’s inclusion due to his conviction for spewing racist insults while brawling in a car park in Toulouse with former rugby players Yannick Larguet and Nassim Arif in January 2019.
He has not denied the late-night fisticuffs but has appealed against the racist abuse element.
“This story has been around for years and I totally deny the allegations of racism,” Chalureau said at a hastily convened press conference just before the World Cup.
“Since the first day I’ve admitted my mistakes but denied allegations of racism," he added. "I am not a racist. I wanted to come and say it out loud because it is something that affects also my team and my family.”
Chalureau has won six caps since his conviction in 2020 so the timing of the complaints appears rather leftfield.
“While awaiting the final judicial decision, everyone must calmly allow the law to do its job, while respecting the presumption of innocence,” said the French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra after talking to the French rugby federation chief Florian Grill and the France team manager Raphael Ibanez.
Questions over tactical formations would be the usual fare for the France head coach Fabien Galthié rather than quandaries over the criminal status of a forward.
But Galthié harvested the grist with his customary fortitude.
“We want to unite and share with all French people," said the former France international skipper projecting at least the égalité and fraternité strands of the French national boast in the run-up to the opening match.
“For four years, racism has had no place in our team, it has no place in rugby. Integrity is a fundamental value of our team and our sport,” the 54-year-old added.
Skipper Antoine Dupont echoed his boss. “We were already aware of the case, which is still under investigation. Things are going very well with Bastien.
“Since he joined us, his attitude has always been exemplary, both on and off the pitch. And, for us, that's the most important thing right now.”
Resounding endorsements for Chalureau. And why not? Yet wily bookmakers could open the odds on the 31-year-old scoring the winning try in the final and then the appeal judges finding him guilty of racist abuse.
Twists
Such turns would propel France into the existential gloaming inhabited by the Spanish women’s football team following their victory in the World Cup final and federation chief Luis Rubiales kissing one of the players Jenni Hermoso.
But there are seven matches to go before such theoretical twirls come into play. What is certain is that Chalureau’s licit fighting spirit will be in huge demand during the next month of group stage matches.
After France tackle New Zealand at the Stade de France, they play Uruguay in Lille on 14 September, Namibia on 21 September in Marseille and Italy on 6 October in Lyon.
France are expected to progress along with New Zealand from Group A and in the last eight will meet one of the top two from Group B charmingly named the group of death.
Not unreasonably either. It contains three of the world’s top five teams. Defending champions South Africa are ranked second behind Ireland and Scotland are fifth. Tonga and Romania -15th and 19th respectively are the makeweights.
“We have been open and honest about our ambitions,” said Ireland captain Jonathan Sexton, whose team has been top of the tree since the middle of July 2022 when they won a Test series in New Zealand for the first time in eight visits.
The Irish underlined their credentials for the World Cup earlier this year with the Grand Slam – winning all five games – in the European Six Nations tournament.
And they will be expected to launch their tilt for a first trophy with a handsome win over Romania in Bordeaux on 9 September.
They take on Tonga a week later before the crunch clashes with South Africa on 23 September at the Stade de France and Scotland a fortnight later at the same venue.
More than 12,000 fans greeted the Irish team on 2 September at the Stade de la Vallée du Cher near their base in Tours for a warm-up session.
What a welcome in Tours! 👋#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/Xe6xJdj830
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) September 2, 2023
“Two years ago we started with a recce and the management felt that the people of Tours really wanted us to be here," said Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.
“They have proved that with their actions and the relationship built and we’re delighted with the people in Tours and the hotel. This is what World Cups are all about, making sure that you understand what it’s all about on the ground and feel the atmosphere with the people.”
Away from the parish of Tours, organisers expect 600,000 fans from outside France during the next seven weeks. Chileans will be among the throng to follow their team’s first appearance at the tournament.
“It is an amazing moment for the country and hopefully the first of many,” said the Chile head coach Pablo Lemoine. “We are really looking forward to being In France.”
The South Americans, who have been drawn in Group D, start their campaign on 10 September against Japan in Toulouse. Six days later in Bordeaux, they face Samoa. After a match against England in Lille, there is an all-South American affair against Argentina on 30 September at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
The Chileans, ranked 22nd in the world, are not expected to reach the knockout stages.
“They came through a touch process to qualify for the group stages,” said Bill Beaumont, who heads the global game’s governing body World Rugby.
Continental improvement
“They’ve succeeded and I think it shows the investment that has been made by World Rugby in South America. We’re looking forward to seeing both Argentina and Uruguay but especially Chile in their first World Cup.”
Despite the development of the game on that continent, teams from the southern hemisphere have won eight of the nine World Cup tournaments.
South Africa and New Zealand boast three apiece and Australia – drawn in Group C with Wales, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal – have won the Webb Ellis trophy twice.
England – where the game originated – are the only European nation to have lifted the prize. Two hundred years on from the first rugby matches, England are far from favourites for the tournament which will be played with greater scrutiny on high tackles.
The matches around France will witness the bunker review system in which a player sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes with a yellow card can have that punishment upgraded to red if the match officials have another look at the video images and decide the ultimate sanction is required.
That could bring much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It might also encourage more disciplined aggression during the quest for glory which will culminate on 28 October at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
If France – losers in the final in 1987, 1999 and 2011 – were to win the crown, it would provide a rare moment of national unity and glee for Emmanuel Macron's beleaguered adminsitration.
The president visited the France squad at their training camp just before the start of the tournament. Galthié – clad in shorts, T-shirt and trainers – shot the breeze with Macron sporting his omnipurpose blue suit. Macron listened studiously, arms folded and brow furrowed.
Macron emerged from the powwow and told the pride of French rugby that he, like the rest of the nation, was solidly behind them.
"It's because you will be brothers in arms, who will fight from the first to the last second, under the guidance of the coach, that you will win and do what it takes," Macron added.
"We have sometimes come within a stone's throw. This time, we will get it. Never forget this: the team is bigger than you, the nation is bigger than each of us. Step up, be yourselves, not more, not less."
Inspirational words to players believing this is their moment. They can prove their magnificence in seven games over seven weeks.
