The uncertainties over Antoine Dupont’s participation in the explosive quarter-final on Sunday (9 p.m.), against South Africa, are completely removed. The scrum half and captain of the Blues once again trained normally, this Wednesday, in Rueil-Malsaison (Hauts-de-Seine), where the French team set up their base camp. Like Tuesday, the number 9 from Stade Toulousain wore a starting bib and a helmet during the training session. He could therefore wear it on Sunday at the Stade de France, in order to protect his face after surgery for a maxillo-zygomatic fracture.
“Antoine Dupont is doing very well,” assured William Servat, the coach of the French forwards. Adding: “He stayed involved, even on his time off, even from a distance. He needed recovery but he was always concerned.” His friend and teammate Grégory Alldritt, also present in front of the press, explained that “Antoine is an intelligent person, he is a sensible person. If he says he can play again, it’s because he is fully capable of doing so.”
If the composition of the starting XV should not hold any surprises compared to Monday’s observations, the questions concern the substitutes’ bench. How will Fabien Galthié and his staff proceed? The Springboks regularly use a bench with seven forwards and one back. A heavy, thick option to make your “bomb squad” (mine-clearance team) talk, which does a lot of damage at the end of the match.
Opposite, the Blues staff could decide to line up a 6-2 bench, with the return to the bench of Maxime Lucu accompanied by a versatile: Yoram Moefana (center, winger, even third line) or Sekou Macalou who can play on the third line or on the wing. It is also in this position that the Parisian played, after the injury to Jonathan Danty (12th), during the Blues’ victory against the Boks last November in Marseille. Melvyn Jaminet would be the victim of this choice of a 6-2 bench. Fabien Galthié will announce his team composition and the strategic choices he has chosen on Friday.
SEE ALSO – Vitinha’s splendid goal during Rennes-PSG on October 8 (1-3)