France fight past gallant Greeks in World Cup opener

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As France look to build towards a historic home World Cup, they got their 2021 campaign underway with a 34-12 win over debutants Greece, who will no doubt take great confidence from their maiden outing.

French rugby as a whole is experiencing a revolution across both codes, but the emphasis in the 13-player-code is to build France up as one of the top performing nations, as with their union side. An overhaul that has seen more and more French players in Super League has been partnered with a successful bid to host the 2025 tournament.

With the 2021 competition postponed by a year due to COVID-19 related playing issues regarding Australia and New Zealand, there is now just three years between a fresh campaign and the spotlight being on ‘Les Bleus’.

Of course, head coach Laurent Frayssinous will be keen not to disregard the current campaign as simply an intermediary, but there is no questioning the fact that it will act as a general barometer as to where they are headed towards 2025.

Meanwhile, Greece are one of two debutants at the tournament, alongside the Jamaican ‘Reggae Boys’. With a national team formed only in 2003, the nicknamed ‘Titans’, have largely played in minor European competitions against teams who have also never made an appearance at a World Cup (with the exception of Italy).

With the extension to 20 participating nations, Greece proved as one of the beneficiaries as they qualified in second place from Pool B in the second round of European qualifying, sealing their spot in England after an emphatic 82-6 win over Serbia in Belgrade back in 2019.

As such, this clash with France at the Eco-Power Stadium was new beginnings all-round, and particularly for the Greeks was an extremely joyous and emotional occasion.

France weighed in strongly for this encounter, with all but three members of their squad playing their most recent rugby in Super League.

Meanwhile, Greece unsurprisingly had a strong Australian contingent, largely playing second grade rugby down under with a selection of Greek native players and the London Broncos pair of Rob Tuilatu and Adam Vrahnos.

The French started strongly with a Catalans’ Jordan Dezaria powering over in the eighth minute. Conceding an early try in a game can often lead to collapse for smaller nations, but the ‘Titans’ held their own and kept the French out until the half hour mark when Tony Gigot reacted to a loose ball to touch down.

Moments later, the French lead was extended as the short ball to Benjamin Jullien allowed the second rower to force his way over.

After half-time, Arthur Morgue’s pace proved too much for Greece to handle as he extended his team’s lead even further, as the game looked to be headed to a blowout.

Sometimes in sport, all it takes is one moment to galvanise a nation, and perhaps that is exactly what happened when a well placed kick found Siteni Taukamo to score a historic first World Cup try for Greece.

‘Les Bleus’ were unfazed by this, and once again displayed their star quality with an exquisite try finished off by Julien.

As the game crept towards its conclusion, it would be Greece who would have the last laugh as they outdid their French counterparts with try of the game courtesy of another pinpoint kick, this time from Billy Magoulias finding teammate Nicholas Mougious. The Centre showed exactly why he is on the books of the South Sydney Rabbitohs as he tore the French defence apart before emphatically going over for his country’s second World Cup try.

Whilst the result may not have gone in Greece’s favour, the celebrations both on the field and back in Athens epitomised everything that International Rugby League should be, and no doubt captivated many young minds into dreaming of one day scoring a try for their country at the World Cup.

Undoubtedly, the Greeks lived up to their ‘Titan’ nickname and head coach Steve Georgallis will take great positivity into the clash with Samoa.

Meanwhile, France did the job and largely looked good doing it, but they will know the size of the task at hand when they face the hosts at the University of Bolton Stadium this weekend.

Despite a somewhat modest crowd, this game certainly captured the spirit of the Rugby League World Cup and the potential International Rugby League has to exploit. The question as always is, will this legacy be upheld?

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