France launch World Cup with Pumas opener

France launched the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight amid huge expectancy levels in coach Bernard Laporte’s final assignment before he takes up a French ministerial post.

Buoyed by World Cup warm-up victories over England (twice) and Wales, the French paraded a team packed with experience at a sold-out Stade de France.

Wasps hooker Raphael Ibanez skippered a side that also included Test cap centurion Fabien Pelous, with flanker Serge Betsen and number eight Imanol Harinordoquy adding further clout up-front.

Paris-based Pumas captain Agustin Pichot equalled the Argentine record held by lock of Pedro Sporleder by starting his fourth World Cup campaign.

And Pichot was joined at half-back by Stade Francais colleague Juan Martin Hernandez, tipped by England’s 2003 World Cup skipper Martin Johnson as a potential tournament star.

English referee Tony Spreadbury took charge of the Pool D clash, which followed a 40-minute opening ceremony that generated a white-hot atmosphere.

France: Heymans, Rougerie, Jauzion, Traille, Dominici, Skrela, Mignoni, Milloud, Ibanez, De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Betsen, Martin, Harinordoquy.

Replacements: Szarzewski, Poux, Chabal, Bonnaire, Dusautoir, Elissalde, Michalak.

Argentina: Corleto, Borges, M. Contepomi, F. Contepomi, Agulla, Martin Hernandez, Pichot, Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo, C. Fernandez Lobbe, Albacete, Ostiglia, J. Fernandez Lobbe, Leguizamon.

Replacements: Basualdo, Bonorino, Kairelis, Durand, Fernandez Miranda, Todeschini, Senillosa.

Referee: T Spreadbury (England)