Rugby World Cup 2023: the Blues line-up is taking shape with Antoine Dupont starting!

Antoine Dupont tested a helmet with training, and today has been a great day. decisive to know if he is suitable for the job. start the quarter-final of the Blues on Sunday.

The essentials.

• After beating Italy (60-7) on Friday, October 6, the XV of France qualified. for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup and will face South Africa on October 15 at 9 p.m.
• This meeting will perhaps be with Antoine Dupont. The Blues captain received the green light from his surgeon on Monday and he was tested on contacts at training this Wednesday.
• Follow all the news on the Rugby World Cup, match results and the quarter-final schedule.

23:09 – For New Zealander Aaron Smith, the best team is..

END OF LIVE – In press conference at a few days of Ireland – New Zealand, the All Black Aaron Smith did not go there; by four paths at a press conference this Wednesday. On Saturday, it is not a quarter-final match that awaits the New Zealanders, but “a final”; ! "Throughout my All Black career, I had some very difficult encounters against Ireland," low, victories and defeats. "This is the best team in the world and we are really excited about this challenge. “I'm looking forward to being there,” he added.

22:05 – A XV of the Rose "very different" of the one who beat Samoa on Sunday, promises Jamie George

"Last weekend, the content of the match was not up to date. “fairly good, it was mediocre”, immediately asked. English hooker Jamie George at a few days before the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup which will pit England against Fiji, citing a glaring lack of energy. "The England team will be very different on Sunday," he immediately promised. the press, adding that the British intend to be in the semi-final next week.

9:06 p.m. – William Servat wants to take inspiration from Portugal

William Servat, forward coach of the XV of France, confided: today at a press conference that the Blues could draw inspiration from the Portuguese feat against Fiji last Sunday (24-23): "Portugal showed their strength and strength the importance of combat in our sport. When you have the right mindset you can do incredible things in this sport. South Africa has a very dense team and they cultivate this particularity. with enormous physicality. The French team with our side Latin and our pride has players capable of rising to the challenge as we did at Marseilles. I think the meeting will be intense. quite rare. Saw the last match at Marseille, I hope there will be enough people on the Marseille side. for concussion protocols."

20:05 – Wales diminished; ?

The Welsh are worried about several executives of their starting XV, apart from three days before their quarter-final against Argentina, Saturday at home 5 p.m. Fly-half Gareth Anscombe was touched à groin to during the warm-up before the match against Georgia (42-19), and fullback Liam Williams was in charge. touched on the knee during the match. Jonathan Thomas, assistant to manager Warren Gatland, remains optimistic: "I'm not saying that they will necessarily be fit for the match. We will have to see how the situation evolves from day to day, but the door is not closed to anyone. at the moment." Dan Biggar should be back for his part.

19:01 – Antoine Dupont "à 100% of its capabilities"

William Servat, coach in charge of forwards, showed himself particularly confident about health status of the captain of the Blues this Wednesday. "He is at 100% of his capabilities and there is no reason to upset anything,” he said. And William Servat noted that Antoine Dupont has become even more “involved” since he returned. "He participates in a very active way in “all the training, all the videos and everything that simply makes up the game of the France team,” he explained.

18 :30 – Rugby in music

The Philharmonie de Paris will organize concert matches for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, on October 14 and 15. This weekend, the four matches will be broadcast on a giant screen, and accompanied live by a symphony orchestra, the Elektra Orchestra. This event is free and by reservation, and it will take place at the Cité de la Musique in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. The Philharmonie de Paris had already experienced this concept during Euro 2016 football, which also took place in France.

17:45 – Ireland's line-up to face the All Blacks

The XV of Clover revealed its line-up to face New Zealand on Saturday at home 9 p.m. No surprises and no change in the starting XV, compared to; the one who beat Scotland last weekend (36-14). The only changes are on the bench to replace the injured. Wingers James Lowe and Mack Hansen are starting well as they return from injury. Robbie Henshaw is still absent.

Ireland XV: Keenan – Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe – Sexton (c), Gibson-Park – Van der Flier, Doris, O ;Mahony – Henderson, Beirne – Furlong, Sheehan, Porter

17:00 – Reminder of the table the final phase

The quarter-finals are being prepared and will take place this weekend, but we also know the full draw and therefore the possible positions in the semi-finals. The winner of France – South Africa will face that of England – Fiji, while the winner of Ireland – New Zealand will face that of Wales – Argentina. Here is the full table:

16:15 – The Portuguese welcomed as heroes!

Portugal achieved a superb World Cup for its second participation, with a draw against Portugal. Georgia (18-18) but above all an exceptional and unprecedented victory in the World Cup against Fiji (24-23) in their last match. This feat made the front page of A Bola, the main sports daily, a first for a very minority sport in Portugal. The Portuguese players succeeded in their bet because this performance will undoubtedly help a lot in their success. develop rugby in this country. The "Lobos" have been moreover, summer welcomed as heroes at their return to Lisbon last night:

15:30 – Alldritt on Dupont: "He is at full capacity"

Grégory Alldritt, third row of the Blues, explained at a press conference that he is not worried about Antoine Dupont against the South Africans, known for being hard on the man: "His injury is due to injury. the head. We know that in rugby, if we touch something; The header is a red card, so they won't do anything either. Antoine is intelligent and sensible. He is in full capacity. He got the green light from his surgeon and if he says he can play it means he is in full capacity."

14:45 – First real test for Dupont

Antoine Dupont is aligned; as holder today at training, which must include contact and match situations. After yesterday's training, without real contact, the coach of the attack of the XV of France Laurent Labit explained the process of resuming Antoine Dupont: "What interested us for Now it was time to reconnect it to the computer. the team, as its partners get used to it again. him, with his way of playing which is different from that of Maxime (Lucu). High intensity will be posted tomorrow (Wednesday). […] On the contacts, the surgeon gave his green light, so he considers that everything is in place. We don't need to box him to know if he can play on Sunday."

2:00 p.m. – Antoine Dupont wears a helmet

Like yesterday during training at home. behind closed doors, the captain of the Blues brings new helmet today. He is testing his feelings to decide if he wants to wear this helmet during the match against South Africa on Sunday.

The XV of France is at; training at this very moment, and the composition of the Blues for this general rehearsal has been adjusted. revealed by journalist Antoine Mazère on X (formerly Twitter). Antoine Dupont is the starter, and this is the only change in the starting XV compared to the match against Italy (60-7). Here is the complete line-up:

Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarrey – Jalibert, Dupont – Alldritt, Ollivon, Jelonch – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Mauvaka, Baille

13:15 – Erasmus tells Galthié

Rassie Erasmus, director of South African rugby, told yesterday at a press conference an anecdote about the coach Fabien Galthié : "Our careers intersected. On the ten days where we coached Overall, I remember someone quite eccentric. I remember a video session, training, followed by lunch at the gym. Limerick (in Ireland). He was barefoot. Then, he came back to talk to us about strategy, in a very serious and inspired way. I don't know if he learned anything, but I did."

12:30 – Wardi: "There's a lot of slacking off"

Reda Wardi, pillar of the XV of France, spoke about yesterday, after the Blues' training, on the preparation for the quarter-final against France. South Africa: "It&aposs; direct elimination. We are prepared for the future. perform and start this type of meeting in the best possible way. […] There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. We will have the opportunity to access a semi-final, but we are trying to temper that in the group. There is quite a bit of relaxation and moments of cohesion."

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