Match Day Programme RWC Edition: France vs Uruguay

Welcome to round two the 2023 Rugby World Cup. After an emphatic win against the All Blacks on opening day. Today the French will look to double down on their winning ways when they host Uruaguay. Uruguay were one of four teams that sat out in the opening round, and will look to start off on a stong note against the hosts. The only South American team France have previously played at the Rugby World Cup are Argentina, once in 1999, twice in 2007, and once in 2019. Thank you for joining us, this is Ultimate Rugby Match Day, Rugby World cup edition.

Fixture: France vs Uruguay

Venue: Stade Pierrre-Mauroy

Kickoff Time: 20:05 (GMT)

Referee: Jaco Peyper  

Head-to-head Played:

This will be the first time these two teams have met in a test match. Uruguay have played two internationals against France XV, losing both games in Montevideo in 1960 and 1985.

 • France recorded their second-largest Rugby World Cup winning margin against SANZAAR opposition last week with a 14-point victory against New Zealand, just seven points adrift of their largest against Argentina in 1999 (21 points).

• They have never lost their second pool game of a tournament, enjoying an average winning margin of 34.8 points across their past nine fixtures at this stage of the event.

• France have not topped their pool since 2003, finishing second at each of the past four tournaments. URUGUAY RWC

Team News:

France: Head coach Fabien Galthié has made 12 changes to his starting XV from the side that defeated New Zealand last match, with only Cameron Woki, Gabin Villiere, and Yoram Moefana retaining their spot in the run-on team. Anthony Jelonch will captain the side for the first time since their 2021 tour of Australia.

Uruguay: Head coach Esteban Meneses has named an experienced line-up with 11 survivors in his starting team from RWC 2019 in Mateo Sanguinetti, Guillermo Pujadas, Manuel Leindeker, Manuel Ardao, Santiago Civetta, Manuel Diana, Santiago Arata, Felipe Etcheverry, Nicolas Freitas, Abdres Vilaseca, and Tomas Inciarte, and a further three players on the bench. 

• Lille will host a Rugby World Cup match for the first time since 1991 when New Zealand defeated Canada at Stade du Nord in the quarter-finals. Stade Pierre-Mauroy was built in 2012 and has hosted two tests since, both between France and Argentina.

• Les Bleus return to Lille for only the sixth time in their history. They have never lost a test in this city, defeating Romania in 1986, Argentina in 1988 and Australia in 1989, all at Stade du Nord, and Argentina at this venue in 2012 and 2018.

• France average 33.5 points per game at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, scoring three tries in each of their two tests.

• They are yet to taste defeat on home soil this year, and are currently enjoying a 15-game winning streak in France dating back to November 2021.

• They have won 24 of their past 25 tests dating back to 2019, with their only defeat in this period coming against Scotland at Stade de France on 26 March, 2021.