4th QF France v South Africa - Stade de France, Saint Denis

France: 1. Baille, 2. Mauvaka, 3. Atonio, 4. Woki, 5. Flament, 6. Jelonch, 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 9. Dupont (cap), 10. Jalibert, 11. Bielle-Biarrey, 12. Danty, 13. Fickou, 14. Penaud, 15. Ramos.

Replacements: 16. Bourgarit, 17. Wardi, 18. Aldegheri, 19. Taofifenua, 20. Cros, 21. Macalou, 22. Lucu, 23. Moefana.

South Africa: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Libbok, Reinach; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Fourie, Nche, Koch, Snyman, Smith, De Klerk, Pollard, Le Roux.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe TMO: Brendon Pickerill

Assistant referees: Paul Williams (assistant), James Doleman (assistant)

Dupont injury update, quote from FFR web site:

Following his medical examination scheduled today with the surgeon who previously operated on him, Antoine Dupont has obtained permission to resume rugby training as of today.

Not clear if that means all rugby training, including contact, but we will hopefully get further updates later in the week.

I think they have previously said that he was doing fitness training already, so my assumption is that they mean contact training. It would be a real dereliction of duty on behalf of the coaches and medical staff to let him go into a match like that without having come through a full training load in the week building up to it.

I just hope someone in the French set up is thinking about Dupont and his health and potential long term effects.

Obviously I am no doctor so if it is safe for him to play and all then fair do's, we as fans definitely would love to see him play (well maybe not South Africans)

However I just hope that there is someone in the room who if it's not safe for him to play is willing to stand up and be the adult in the room and put a stop to it.

He won't be thinking about it, he will be desperate to play.  The coaches have so much pressure on they will want him to play so I hope the doctor or someone is there being objective and saying yes this is okay he can play or no this guy should not play.

Professional sport has made me skeptical that will be the case but I do hope it is

As far as Dupont goes, I would hate to see him taking knock after knock against SA. The concern for me is twofold, firstly his safety, but secondly how it could potentially affect the outcome of the match if any contact is remotely close to his injury.

Any knock in the proximity could potentially be seen as dangerous, imagine the natural reaction from him once there is contact remotely close to his injury?

It could affect a negative reaction from referee, tmo etc. Imagine the partisan home crowds reaction, they will scream for justice at every opportunity justified or not.

Not looking foward to see any contact on him.

Old man
I understand your concern re  SA player getting binned, or worse, for making contact near his face.
However, worth noting as long as he is tackled legally there won't be a problem.

Of course, if he changes height significantly, or direction, then face contact becomes a possibility.
It certainly is a bit of a concern given how much heat the Boks will be hoping to put on Dupont.

Faff is a good height to tackle GoldenEye, PSDT not so much.

I guess Rassie will be focusing on good tackle height this week

Hi Sensisball, if Dupont was a straight running predictable type of ball carrier it is much more safe to tackle him. Consider his skill in evasive running no matter the intent of hitting low, the chances are hightened for several reasons.

Lets hope Rassie does go over detailed analysis of how to defend against Dupont to minimise any risk of a potential cardable offence.

As a reference point for Dupont's injury, the Telegraph has an interview with Brad Barritt, who broke his cheekbone, had two plates inserted, and was back playing the following weekend - five days after surgery - in a Champions Cup quarter-final.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2023/10/12/brad-barritt-interview-broken-cheekbone-antoine-dupont/

“Had it been any other game, I would have sat it out,” he added. “But at that stage of the season, it was a quarter-final against Leinster and was a game that I was desperate to be part of. And often your decisions are geared around risk and reward. If I was able to play and it was not too risky, then I was prepared to play.

“The fact that there were no concussion symptoms, there was no real additional risk to my eyesight, I didn’t perceive it to be too risky.

“If it was only a pain threshold thing or a discomfort threshold thing, I was prepared to do it.

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some concern or anxiety going into the game. But it’s one of those things as soon as you cross the white lines and the game kicks off, there’s so much going on the field that you don’t really have time to think about, but injuries. And the reality is, I think with every rugby player, you’re always carrying something. You very rarely go into a game when every part of your body feels 100 per cent.”

Lowering standards every time

this is just sad and no wonder people are turning on him

Really ungracious and against the spirit of the game

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/simulation-only-performance-here-is-by-prize-idiot-rassie-erasmus-glwgdgk2q

Can't read it, not a subscriber

Libbok and Reinach are the starting half-backs for this match, Pollard and De Klerk on the bench.

Le Roux makes it a 5/3 split on the bench. No place for Am in the 23. Full line-up in the first post, or via the link.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67098810

Old Man wrote:Can't read it, not a subscriber

In essence, calling the French cheats

“What they do well is that when they get close to the high hits [on them], they really show that to the referee,” Erasmus said.

“I think they do simulate sometimes a little bit, which is clever … sometimes when the referee comms goes down, or the TV doesn’t work at that specific time. I think they’re very clever at that but they’re not a team that live on the dangerous edge

Dupont starts, and France have gone for a 6/2 split on the bench.

Full line-ups in the first post, or via the link

https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/news/877678/france-announce-squad-to-play-south-africa

Sounds like there's a fair bit of risk for Dupont. He's been asked to sign a waiver if 'things go badly wrong'. His return is 3 weeks before recommended recovery time.

I know it's the world cup but there's no need for his selection with the risk surely.

I'm very surprised by that Boks selection. No Faf. No Wiese. 5-3 bench split. No van Staden who has been very good this tournament I felt.

I can only guess they are going to look for a big tactical shift in the backs when Faf, Pollard and le Roux come on.

The France 23 as expected. Marchand still missing sadly but Mauvaka is a terrific player having a good tournament. Ntamack and Willemse missed the squad of course.

I fancy France narrowly but expect this to be a humdinger.

Yes, a bit of a weird SA starting team. Would have thought they would have had Faff and Vermeulen on at the start to maximise forward carrying and box kicking, hoping to keep France contained in the first half.

Not surprised to see France go 6 -2, but instead of 2 locks, there are 2 back rowers (well 1 back row and 1 back row/winger).

Bielle-Biarrey is providing full back cover in case Ramos needs to move to 10. This option gets him in the team ahead of Villiers and also at the expense of a bench slot for Jaminet, who has looked a bit below his best for most of the group games.

Moefana covers centre and wing.

Macalou can go back row or wing.

If Dupont is fully firing then I think they have enough to edge a brutal and finely balanced encounter. Plus an actual bona fide bench hooker, in Bourgarit,  may be crucial as well.

I am fascinated by this match up.

France have been fantastic, and their talisman is back. If he stays in the pitch, I think France win by about 7. If he needs to be replaced because he is broken again, France lose. I believe that he is that important.

South Africa will always bring their physical A game but a lot depends on Libbock playing well or having a kicking nightmare. If he misses a few, do they hook him off??

I am expecting brutality, maybe a card. Fascinating. Would love to see France win for their home World Cup fairytale, but can also expect a Boks win...

All I can say is good luck to the referee. It's going to be a brutal game played in a hostile atmosphere.

I think it's great that they've shown faith in Libbok after the Ireland game. That will be such a boost for him, and of course this time they have the reassurance of Pollard on the bench.

Libbok being paired with the rapid Reinach and Willemse at 15 suggests that Rassie and Nienaber are expecting a very fast game early on. Similarly they've sacrificed van Staden, a strong carrier in traffic, on the bench with a lightning flanker in Kwagga remaining. Wiese is usually their go to carrier running at a set defence around the fringes. They've gone with Vermuelen who has less raw power these days but better hands and is better wider out. It suggests to me that SA intend to play very fast and look to outflank the Edwards defence early on. Then shift to a more tactical, kicking based game later on when France often really open the taps as teams tire.

You'll rarely see two better wingers than Penaud and Kolbe opposite each other. Whilst Danty vs de Allende feels like a sequel to Aki vs de Allende in that magnificent pool game which was one of the most engrossing rugby matches I've watched.

It's a fascinating matchup, definitely the hardest to call of the QFs. I'd have France as narrow favourites. I just think the SA absentees of Marx, Lood and Am are bigger than France's with Marchand, Ntamack and Willemse. It should be a terrific match though. The two 8pm KOs are bordering on indecent. It's frankly arousing.

Do we know if Dupont will wear some protection?

Dupont only wearing a scrum cap

No prtection to his cheek

Blimey, France have come out firing!

What a start

Well....that was a fast start!

This might be a good game!

Thst is a statement from Libbock

This is gonna be good

Maybe I have a low annoyance threshold but the French crowd are already annoying me with their constant booing and whistling every decision ...

This is rope-a-dope from South Africa. Champions spirit.

Oh, SA firing up now


12-7 SA

Quarter of the match gone already - doesn't seem like that

De Allende has been very good all tournament, surprised more weren’t talking about him.

Jesus this game is fast.

What a game this!

Dupont shows his differences with thst quick tap

This is madness.

I'm blowing just watching it

Wow a charge down, you don't see that often. What a game so far

I’m sore watching this

Bone doctors in France could be busy tomorrow

How often do you see a charged down conversion!

I will need a nap and a slice of orange at half time

Another sucker punch. Kolbe's pace sensational.

I said with some confidence that the NZ/Ire QF would be the best game at this World Cup...I'm not sure anymore!

Took me 11 minutes to drink my first pint and I hardly realised I was drinking it.

I think this is better

They are just taking it in turns to score!

This has been some of the best test rugby ever.
Pace, power accuracy. It's got everything

Calling a scrum at the mark. We're seeing everything tonight.

All a bit pointless if you miss touch after winning the pen!

Not sure I've ever seen that before - having said that I thought SA should have had a pen at the last scrum as it looked to me like the French prop went to ground

That does not look great

At least a YC