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Suggestions made Ireland should now lose to South Africa to face Dupont-less France
The Rugby World Cup was delivered a fateful blow just minutes into the second half of France’s lopsided victory over Namibia when superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont was forced from the field clutching his face.
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Dupont was rushed to hospital for X-rays which confirmed a fracture of the jaw which will require surgery following the high tackle that felled him.
The length of recovery time is uncertain, with some believing he will be out for six weeks and will miss the remainder of the tournament.
Others believe he has a chance to make it back in time for the back-end of the tournament but even a quarter-final appearance may be a stretch.
Such is the enormity of Dupont’s presence that suggestions have been made now that France is the preferred quarter-final opponent of the two Pool B qualifiers.
The world’s number one and two ranked sides, Ireland and South Africa, will face off on Saturday night with the loser likely to finish runners-up in Pool B and draw the Pool A winners, which France will secure barring a shock loss to Italy.
Awful to hear the injury update on Dupont. Confirmed fractured orbital fracture. That will surely be the end of his World Cup as it takes six weeks.
Blows the World Cup wide open and could makes losing tomorrow the preferred option. Who would Irish fans now rather play in QF
— Joe Naughton (@JoeNaConnacht) September 22, 2023
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There have been suggestions made that Ireland fans would prefer to lose their blockbuster pool clash with South Africa in order to face France.
Ireland, who are searching for their first-ever quarter-final win at a World Cup, beat France 32-19 in Dublin during the Six Nations back in February.
With France now potentially missing both star halves, Romain Ntamack and Dupont, Ireland’s chances of progressing by beating France have no doubt increased.
The other potential opponent is New Zealand, who Ireland beat in a series last year 2-1 at home.
However, many warned that the loss of Dupont could ‘galvanise’ France and bring out the best of them as they fight on for their leader. The depth of Fabien Galthie’s side is not to be underestimated.
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Others wanted to see Ireland continue to win to maintain momentum, while losing against South Africa could make the Scotland clash a do-or-die knockout scenario.
Losing tomorrow is definitely not the preferred option. First of all, it would make the game v Scotland a straight knock-out contest. Secondly, France are best avoided for as long as possible. Even without Dupont, they're a better side than NZ.
— Ger Downes (@gertieluimneach) September 22, 2023
You must always try to win. You must beat the best to be the champion. I don’t agree with trying to manage wins losses to avoid X. Just my opinion
— Damien Browne (@damienbrowne) September 22, 2023
It could galvanise France and make them just as tough to beat. Getting the host nation is always hard…….look at Japan last WC and the French are on a different planet.
— Croí Na hÉireann (@na_croi) September 22, 2023
Gotta keep momentum. Go for the win now. Imagine we'll suffer ourselves against some tough players, so a week's rest plus qualification in the bag would be huge ahead of Scotland.
— Dec (@Declan_ORegan) September 22, 2023
No one would prefer to lose. If Ireland want to be World Cup winners , we have to beat every team along the way
— Billy Walsh (@BillyWa58488656) September 22, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
Pacific Lions, cry me a river
125 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
125 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
125 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
125 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
125 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
125 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
125 Go to commentsHo hum.
125 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
125 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
125 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
125 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
125 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
125 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
125 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
125 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
125 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
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