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Antoine Dupont returns from injury as France name powerful team
French head coach Fabien Galthié has named his side to take on the Springboks in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Stade de France on Sunday, 15 October (21:00 CET).
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Scrum-half Antoine Dupont returns from injury, just 24 days after fracturing his jaw against Namibia, to captain the side as his team look to progress into the semi finals of their home tournament.
He is the only change to the starting XV that defeated Italy 60-7 in France’s last last game.
For just the second time in the tournament, coach Galthié has named a 6-2 split of forwards and backs on the bench.
Anthony Jelonch retains his place in the back row with Francois Cros one of the six forwards on the bench.
FRANCE TEAM TO PLAY SOUTH AFRICA
1 Cyril Baille
2 Peato Mauvaka
3 Uini Atonio
4 Cameron Woki
5 Thibaud Flament
6 Anthony Jelonch
7 Charles Ollivon
8 Gregory Alldritt
9 Antoine Dupont (c)
10 Matthieu Jalibert
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey
12 Jonathan Danty
13 Gael Fickou
14 Damian Penaud
15 Thomas Ramos
Replacements:
16 Pierre Bourgarit
17 Reda Wardi
18 Dorian Aldegheri
19 Romain Taofifenua
20 Francois Cros
21 Sekou Macalou
22 Maxime Lucu
23 Yoram Moefana
Damian Penaud has scored the most tries of any player in 2023 so far with 14. He is currently enjoying a seven-game try-scoring streak, the longest of his career. He is the top try-scorer at RWC 2023 with six after the pool rounds. He is three short of setting a new tournament record.
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Ahead of his first test at Stade de France, fellow wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey has scored four tries in three games at RWC 2023.
Fullback Thomas Ramos is the top points scorer at RWC 2023 with 61, with success rate of 86%.
In his 20th test as captain, Antoine Dupont is yet to lose a match on home soil. He captained France to their first win against the Springboks in 13 years in 2022.
Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
Wins
1
Draws
0
Wins
4
Average Points scored
23
27
First try wins
60%
Home team wins
40%
Earlier today, South Africa named their team, with a fairly surprising halfback combination:
Comments on RugbyPass
“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to comments