Rugby World Cup 2023: the line-up of the French XV revealed, Dupont starts!

The XV of the Blues was announced this morning: Antoine Dupont is the starter. South Africa also unveiled its composition with surprising choices in hinges in particular.

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 Sunday October 15 at 9 p.m.
• The composition of the XV of France for its quarter-final was announced this morning. Here it is: Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarrey – Jalibert, Dupont (c) – Alldritt, Ollivon, Jelonch – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Mauvaka, Baille.
• Follow all the news on the Rugby World Cup, match results and quarter-final schedule.

Live

23:10 – Antoine Dupont "inspires fear in adversaries", believes Matthieu Jalibert

END OF LIVE – Interviewed at a press conference on the return of Antoine Dupont to the XV which will face South Africa in the quarter-final on Sunday, fly-half Matthieu Jalibert greeted him. this cover which "changes quite a few things" and "gives us a lot of confidence". "We know that he is capable of big differences and that he inspires fear in adversaries. "It allows us to have more spaces around it," the player of the XV of France, ensuring that, despite the fact that Antoine Dupont will wear a helmet during this meeting, "he is up to the task. 100% of its capabilities.

9:30 p.m. – A "moment of silence" observed before this weekend's matches, in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict

In a press release published On Friday evening, World Rugby announced; that a "moment of silence" will be observed before this weekend's quarter-finals, at following events in Israel and abroad Gaza following the Hamas's murderous offensive against the Jewish state. "World Rugby and the World Rugby Committee organization of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 confirm that a moment of silence will be observed ahead of the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup 2023 this weekend, as a sign of solidarity. with all those affected by the tragic events in Israel and abroad. Gaza,” we read in this press release.

7:00 p.m. – Summary of the lineups for Sunday's matches

All team lineups for Sunday’s two quarter-finals have been finalized. announced today. Here they are:

England – Fiji (5 p.m.)

• England XV: Smith – May, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly – Farrell (c), Mitchell – Lawes, Earl, T. Curry – Chessum, Itoje – Genge, George, Cole.
• Fiji XV: Droasese – Habosi, Nayacalevu (c), Tuisova, Radradra – Botitu, Lomani – Botia, Mata, Tagitagivalu – Tuisue, Nasilasila – Tagi, Ikanivere, Mawi.

France – South Africa (9 p.m.)

• XV of France: Ramos – Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarrey – Jalibert, Dupont (c) – Alldritt, Ollivon, Jelonch – Flament, Woki – Atonio, Mauvaka, Baille.
• XV of France South Africa: Willemse – Arendse, Kriel, de Allende, Kolbe – Libbok, Reinach – du Toit, Vermeulen, Kolisi (c) – Mostert, Etzebeth – Malherbe, Mbonambi, Kitshoff.

18:30 – A risk of a new fracture for Dupont?

Roman Hossein Khonsari, surgeon in the maxillofacial surgery department at Necker Hospital, was interviewed. questioned by Le Point on the case of Antoine Dupont. He replies: "He is capable of doing anything. the competition. Antoine Dupont suffers from a fracture of the zygoma which was operated by my colleague from Toulouse. This divide is quite limited. It is certain that the fracture is not completely consolidated, but all decisions in medicine are a matter of benefits and risks. In the worst case, if there is a blow to the operated area, there will be a shift in the fracture and it may need to be reoperated. But there can't be any big drama. In a context like the Rugby World Cup and a quarter-final against South Africa, it is possible to take the risk that he plays. This is not an area where a displacement of the fracture could lead to a great disaster."

18:00 – Thomas Ramos is wary of Mannie Libbok

Questioned on the tenure of Mannie Libbok, Thomas Ramos praised the South African opener: "He is capable of making differences on his own. He has a vision of the game which allows him to place the ball wherever he wants. he wants. You will have to be vigilant to cover the spaces well. Our wingers will have a big challenge ahead. raise to counter kick passes. Libbok is a very good player, we will have to be wary of him."

5:30 p.m. – Dupont: "All the lights are green"

The captain of the Blues confided in on his return to the XV of France group: "I didn't feel any pressure from the staff. All lights are green, no decision has been made. forced, we respected deadlines. The most important thing was also my feelings. The main thing is to think about it. the team before yourself. If I hadn't been able to play I would have been killed. replaced in the best possible way. We have all been working together for 4 years. I didn't feel any pressure. If I play it's because I feel good and the doctor has confirmed that I'm playing. my place."

5:00 p.m. – Fickou: "We study all the referees"

Gaël Fickou, three-quarter center of the XV of France, explained at a press conference the importance of not multiplying mistakes on Sunday against South Africa: "Discipline will be one of the priorities, that's sure and certain, we are preparing for this. ça. We study all the referees, we try to be as disciplined as possible, we have made a huge effort. We're going to get to the heart of the matter. They play a very direct game, we prepare ourselves for the game. a huge fight. They want to bring speed. We are ready to go! everything."

16:30 – The composition of Fiji

Coach Simon Rawalui announced The team fielded by Fiji for their quarter-final against Fiji. He brought five changes to his starting XV after the defeat against Portugal last Sunday (23-24). Tevita Ikanivere, Albert Tuisue and Lekima Tagitagivalu join the forward pack. Semi Radradra finds a starting place at the wing. The Lomani-Botitu hinge is renewed. Opener Simone Kuruvoli therefore starts on the bench, like Sam Matavesi, in mourning. by the loss of his father this week but who will be very present.

XV of Fiji: Droasese – Habosi, Nayacalevu (c), Tuisova, Radradra – Botitu,  Lomani – Botia, Mata, Tagitagivalu – Tuisue, Nasilasila – Tagi, Ikanivere, Mawi.

16:00 – The kicking game, turning point of the match?

Thomas Ramos, interviewed in a press conference on the importance of the kicking game, explained : "We work on it a lot. We have players capable of making plays in any situation. We try to have variety. in the kicking game. We know how to make the opponent retreat. This is a strong point for us. It will be a big challenge to be better than them at that."

3:30 p.m. – England line-up

< p>Steve Borthwick, England manager, announced his team to face Fiji on Sunday at 5 p.m. The XV de la Rose will present itself with its captain Owen Farrell at the opening, who regains this position to the detriment of George Ford, now his replacement. Above all, Marcus Smith, a professional fly-half, is established as a starter. à behind for the second time in his career only after the victory against Chile in group play (71-0). Freddie Steward, usual starter at the 15-man position and yet very reassuring in defense and on aerial balls, is therefore in the stands for this decisive match.

England XV : Smith – May, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly – Farrell (cap.), Mitchell – Lawes (cap.), Earl, T. Curry – Chessum, Itoje – Genge, George, Cole

15:00 – Are the Springboks denying their identity? ?

While South Africa has often fielded a lot of forwards on its bench lately, going as far as to make the most of it. a distribution with seven forwards and only one back, they chose to put only five forwards for three backs against the Blues. The coach, Jacques Nienaber, explains: "People look at our bench because we often play with combinations. For our part, we analyze the opponent and react accordingly: çit could be 7-1, 6-2… There, we estimated that the best was a 5-3. Whatever the selection, there are risks. 5-3 is the least. ÇIt seemed to us to be the best distribution to face France. I don't think it comes to this. deny our identity. In the final, in 2019, we wereé in this configuration."

2:30 p.m. – Nienaber on the surprising hinge

Jacques Nienaber, coach of South Africa, explains the strong choices made in this connection, with the Reinach-Libbok association preferred to Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard: “Cobus (Reinach) is playing exceptional rugby at the moment, Faf (De Klerk) too. For Manie (Libbok) and Handre (Pollard), it’s different. If we look at the minutes compiled by Handre over the year, that's only one match. He is slowly coming back from injury. If he hadn't been injured, it might have been different because it is a high quality element. Manie, it’s our 10 who is in good shape at the moment. We only lost one match with him as the starter this year. He is very fit and the team’s performances are better when he is there."

2:00 p.m. – Dupont: "We have to we are ready to suffer"

"Pain? In these matches, there is always pain, both physical and mental. International matches are always very trying, like against France. them in November. This is always the case when there is something at stake. We have to be ready for what happens. suffer to achieve what we want. It will be hard from start to finish. the end."

1:30 p.m. – Ollivon is surprised by the South African line-up

Charles Ollivon, third line of the Blues, confided: at a press conference having been surprised by the composition of the Springboks: "We are a little surprised. There are changes that we are not used to seeing. They will perhaps play a little more than usual when we see this 5-3. There is a slightly different image sent compared to the previous version. Usually, but it won't necessarily change our game plan. We also focus on ourselves. They have a tradition of being very rough. It doesn't change their mentality, we know that. what to expect."

1:00 p.m. – Dupont on the return to France training

Antoine Dupont explained at a press conference his feelings when he found the training grounds: "It&rsquos; very progressive, I started running again then I went up to the top. more and more, with the contacts in the middle of last week. At the start of the week I fully resumed. It allowed me to remove my apprehension and find myself fully. I had no pain, and that reassured me."

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