France rugby team, also known as les Bleus or les Tricolores has competed in all the tournaments since the inaugural Rugby World Cup tournament in 1987. The rugby team holds the 2 nd position in International Rugby Board world ranking.
The France rugby team, the 1987 and 1999 Rugby World Cup finalists was also 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists and 1995 and 2003 Rugby World Cup semi-finalists.
It has won 22 rugby matches out of the 29 matches played and has also scored 968 points.
In the 1987 Rugby World Cup , the team that reached the finals lost to New Zealand and in the 1999 Rugby World Cup they had to go back home without the trophy after being defeated to Australia in the final match. In the 1991 Rugby World Cup , the team was knocked out by England in the quarterfinals.
The team led by head coach Bernard Laporte enters the ground wearing blue jersey, blue shorts and red socks with the emblem of the Cockerel. The team has been placed in Pool D along with Ireland, Argentina, Georgia and Namibia in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Rugby was introduced to France in 1872. France played European rugby union nations with Wales and Ireland in 1908 and 1909 respectively. Five Nations Championship was introduced when the first official international match between Scotland and France was held in 1910.
France has played international rugby matches at a number of grounds throughout the country. Home matches are played at Stade de France. During the 2005 and 2006 seasons, France played home internationals at venues such as Stade de France, Saint Denis; Stade Gerland, Lyon; Stade Vélodrome, Marseille; Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes and Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse. Around ten venues in France are used for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The only annual tournament played by France is the Six Nations Championship.
