Mathieu Bastareaud on France's 'final dream' opponent
France's statement win over Italy in Lyon saw the host nation secure the top seed in Pool A, setting up a date with Pool B's runner-up in the quarter-finals.
Given the current standings, that team is most likely to be South Africa, the reigning world champions. It would be a cruel reward for overcoming all challenges that have come France's way, but that is the nature of Rugby World Cups.
With the form of the two teams, the contest would promise a final-worthy spectacle, and should France's influential captain Antoine Dupont return from injury in time, it would certainly be a superstar showdown.
Before the pools are set though, Ireland must play Scotland to secure their top seed as well as South Africa's second seed.
There is every chance that the French may yet play either Ireland or Scotland in the first round of the knockout stages, but when former France midfielder Mathieu Bastareaud was asked which team France would fear in the quarters, his mind jumped to the defending champions.
"For sure, South Africa," he told The Front Row Daily Show. But, then the idea of playing Ireland instead was raised. "It's 50/50," he laughed.
"South Africa, they are very confident. They look very confident. They remember the game in Marseille, so I think they want their revenge."
The 30-26 French victory over the Springboks in Marseille during last year's Autumn Nations Series was the last contest between the two nations, and will no doubt have left a sour taste in South African mouths as their victory was snatched in the final minutes.
Regardless of their quarter-final opponents, should the French progress through to the final, there is one nation in which France have a deeply competitive history with at Rugby World Cups and would love to face on the grandest stage rugby has to offer.
"In France, we have a lot of respect for New Zealand, for the All Blacks," Bastareaud said. "You can see when they do the haka, (the crowd's noise) is very low, because it's just respect. It's a final dream."
The three-time European Cup champion noted two key ingredients in a successful Rugby World Cup campaign for the French; focus and Antoine Dupont.
The halfback maestro suffered a facial fracture against Namibia in round three and is pushing for a return for the first round of knockout rugby.
If the 27-year-old is cleared to play, he must be fit to survive the potential three-game run to the final.
"It is very, very important. He is the best player in the world.
"He was in a bad situation because maybe you have to end your World Cup. It's very hard. So, now he is back and we are very happy in France.
"You have to be focussed, you have seven games to be world champion.
"It's maybe one month and a half. You just have to stay focused for one month and a half. It's hard, but when you know the prize after, sometimes in life you have to sacrifice something for your dream, and I think for the French team, that is the moment."
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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