France at the Rugby World Cup

[2] It was also announced that ten French cities would be hosting games, with the final at the Stade de France.

[2] French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said that "this decision illustrates the qualities of our country and its capacity to host major sporting events...This World Cup will be the opportunity to showcase the regions of France where the wonderful sport of rugby is deeply rooted".

"[2] French cities to host games are Bordeaux, Lens, Lyon, Marseilles, Montpellier, Nantes, St. Etienne, Toulouse and Paris, and it was also announced that the final would be at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

[2] There was a substantial increase in the overall capacity of stadiums compared to the 2003 Rugby World Cup, as the smallest venue at the 2007 tournament will be 33,900.

Three matches were played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, two Pool B games that featured Wales and as well as a quarter-final.

France can be seen playing South Africa in the feature film Invictus based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup.