{"id":55944,"date":"2023-10-14T15:44:42","date_gmt":"2023-10-14T15:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch"},"modified":"2023-10-14T16:22:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-14T16:22:07","slug":"dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch","title":{"rendered":"Dupont carries France hopes into SA crunch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>The hopes of the French nation, which have soared high since being awarded the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will face the severest of tests when the hosts take on holders South Africa in the quarter-finals at the Stade de France on Sunday.<\/b><\/p>\n

For the winners, a place in the semi-finals and an enticing tie against either a misfiring England or a Fiji side that would be stepping into unknown territory.<\/p>\n

For the losers, however, it would spell an early exit from a tournament that both believe they can win.<\/p>\n

It would be the bitterest of pills for the French, not just the players but the public who have muscled in behind Fabien Galthie\u2019s team since he took over after a disappointing 2019 World Cup.<\/p>\n

France have played in three previous finals without ever lifting the Webb Ellis trophy, making the return of their inspirational captain Antoine Dupont all the more important.<\/p>\n

The World Rugby player of the year for 2021 is back in the starting line-up three weeks after fracturing his cheekbone in the pool match against Namibia and will play with a protective face mask.<\/p>\n

Some have questioned the abrasive scrum-half\u2019s quick recovery after his surgeon allowed him to resume contact training this week but the French management was playing it cool.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dealt with it in a calm manner,\u201d said Galthie this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were comfortable because we had time, we didn\u2019t force decisions. We went step by step, we didn\u2019t push whatever it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dupont\u2019s return will inevitably be a boost to the side which is unbeaten on home soil since he was named skipper in November 2021.<\/p>\n

But standing in the 26-year-old\u2019s way is Siya Kolisi\u2019s South Africa, the 2019 champions looking for their fourth World Cup triumph.<\/p>\n

Despite losing narrowly to Ireland during the group stages they have shown during the tournament why they are second in the world rankings with wins over Scotland, Romania Tonga.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a big player. Everyone respects him around the world,\u201d flanker Kolisi said of Dupont.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe as rugby players don\u2019t wish for one and another to be injured, you want to play against the best.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s shown what he can do. He\u2019s important for the French team,\u201d the iconic Kolisi added.<\/p>\n

\u2018Protect Dupont\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

Even fully-fit, Dupont would be targeted by Kolisi\u2019s grizzly starting pack, which includes five other winners from 2019\u2019s final.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no specific strategy to protect Antoine in particular,\u201d said France flanker Charles Ollivon.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs back-rowers, we have a mission to protect the whole area around the half-backs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will give everything to take them on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber surprised most people with his team selection, starting Cobus Reinach instead of Faf de Klerk at scrum-half and Manie Libbok over Handre Pollard in the No. 10 shirt.<\/p>\n

De Klerk and Pollard were crucial in the succesful run to the title four years ago.<\/p>\n

The creative Libbok has started seven of the Springboks\u2019 10 Tests this year but his inaccurate goal-kicking has been a blotch on his record.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you just look at the way he drives the team, he\u2019s obviously on form,\u201d Nienaber said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s playing good rugby. Just looking at what the French will bring to us we feel this is the best shot for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The word \u2018physicality\u2019 was used by every player and coach in each of this week\u2019s pre-match press conferences with memories of November 2022\u2019s brutal contest between the outfits fresh in the memory.<\/p>\n

Dupont and South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit were shown red cards as a host of players underwent head injury assessments in France\u2019s win.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know they\u2019re preparing for the physical battle,\u201d Kolisi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have to do anything different.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re driven on, hard-working physicality, it\u2019s the DNA of our game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing is to bring it for 80 minutes on Saturday,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. The hopes of the French nation, which have soared high since being awarded the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will face the severest of tests when the hosts take on holders South Africa in the quarter-finals at the Stade de France on Sunday. For the winners, a place in the semi-finals and an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":55942,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-55944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\nDupont carries France hopes into SA crunch - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The hopes of the French nation, which have soared high since being awarded the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will face the se ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dupont carries France hopes into SA crunch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The hopes of the French nation, which have soared high since being awarded the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will face the se ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Namibia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-14T15:44:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-14T16:22:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2023\/10\/sm_1697287731.624208.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"427\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Dupont carries France hopes into SA crunch\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-14T15:44:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-14T16:22:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\"},\"wordCount\":674,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2023\/10\/sm_1697287731.624208.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"africa press\",\"Africa Press-Namibia\",\"namibia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/dupont-carries-france-hopes-into-sa-crunch\",\"name\":\"Dupont carries France hopes into SA crunch - 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