‘Absolutely diabolical’ – Fans slam Rugby World Cup opening ceremony

Jared Wright
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Screenshots from the Rugby World Cup 2023 opening ceremony

The opening ceremony failed to impress.

Rugby World Cup opening ceremonies have never been a highlight of the tournament, and 2023 in France was no different.

Like most opening ceremonies, they usually fail to impress with fans eager for the action to get underway.

Ahead of the ceremony, World Rugby released a statement explaining the opening ceremony.

“Rugby began thanks to an unconventional gesture: that of William Webb Ellis, a student who took the ball in his hands while playing football in 1823 and crossed the field with it, breaking the rules of the game at the time,” the statement read.

“The creative team behind the Opening Ceremony of Rugby World Cup 2023 have chosen to follow in this path, moving away from the usual ceremony standards, as to tell a story that goes back to the roots of French culture. Led by Jean Dujardin (actor and co-writer of this ceremony), some thirty individuals who embody France’s culture, as well as its art of living, recognised throughout the world, will take part.”

Fans reaction

The viewers were highly critical of the opening ceremony before the clash between France and New Zealand.

“This opening ceremony… so so strange,” one viewer remarked on X, formerly Twitter.

Another added: “Ok enough now. This is a dreadful opening ceremony. And I’ve no idea what it was about.”

“The French World Cup opening ceremony resembles something written and performed by your local below average dramatic society,” another reaction read.

“Opening ceremony is like if we watch les miserable after 17 brandy and coke’s,” @OomRugby wrote.

https://twitter.com/joshgardner/status/1700212360638497035

Another added: “Quite possibly the very worst opening ceremony of all time, in a field of very sh*t opening ceremonies….”

“France going for the worst opening ceremony of a world cup ever,” @therealchris posted.

Others felt it was amateurish.

“What on earth is this opening ceremony about?! I swear, when I was 8 years old, our school productions were up to this standard. I’ll tune back in for kick off I think,” a post read.

Another added: “The French World Cup opening ceremony resembles something written and performed by your local below average dramatic society.”

One viewer loved how bad it was.

“This opening ceremony is absolutely diabolical…. I love it.”

https://twitter.com/blunderedknight/status/1700208965030727827

Some were simply perplexed: “What the hell is this opening ceremony a 6ft human chicken and a giant flying hat got to do with rugby?”

One post likened it to something out of Mary Poppins: “This opening ceremony looks like a scene from Mary Poppins.”

There were some surprising moments.

Marc Hinton, who was in attendance, was taken aback by the Eiffel Tower springing up out of nowhere.

“Geez, the Eiffel Tower has sprung up. Really getting into it,” he wrote.

Rugby Lad saw the bright side, posting: “Don’t worry, this opening ceremony will be over soon and it’ll be worth it. 48 games of rugby to come after this.”

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