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Antoine Dupont returns from injury as France name powerful team
By Grant Constable
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).
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.
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.
Earlier today, South Africa named their team, with a fairly surprising halfback combination:
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Andy Goode just loves to be controversial. Its boring. Let’s all stop reading.
Go to commentsYou have got to consider that if the situation was flipped and the French were held to a salary cap with no English equivalent, the English would laugh in their faces and tell them to get over it. As for Leinster (as a fan), the central contract system is a dream but is guilty of cutting out the other 3 provinces. At the end of the day, it comes across outside of the English border that the Premiership is drowning and trying to take everyone else with it rather than adapt. The English lose, the English want new rules. We've seen this repeat (and once it even led to the current Champions Cup) You make many good and informed points, but if the flip was on the other flop, it wouldn't be Rugby’s problem I suspect - it would be a French one.
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