France Make Huge Announcement Ahead of Eagerly Awaited Springboks Clash in Paris
- France coach Fabien Galthié lost four flyhalves to injury ahead of Friday's Test against the Springboks
- Galthié made a bold selection call that could prove decisive in the battle between the two national teams
- Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus shared his thoughts on how France would approach the No 10 position
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France have been forced into a dramatic positional reshuffle ahead of their Test against the Springboks on Friday after suffering an extraordinary injury crisis at flyhalf.
Coach Fabien Galthié confirmed on Monday that Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy and Thomas Ramos are all unavailable through injury, leaving him without a recognised specialist in the position. His solution: shift World Rugby's most celebrated scrumhalf, Antoine Dupont, into the No. 10 jersey, with Maxime Lucu named to start at scrumhalf.
Dupont's shift redefines Les Bleus' options
The decision is among the most unconventional selections seen in top-tier Test rugby in recent memory.
Dupont, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, has built his reputation at No. 9, and moving him into the pivotal playmaking role carries both significant upside and considerable risk against a Springbok side that has dominated the fixture historically.
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South Africa's record against France reads: played 47, won 29, lost 12, drawn 6, with a win percentage of 61.7%. The Boks have outscored France 115 tries to 66, with a highest score of 52-10 and their biggest winning margin standing at 42 points. Kick-off on Friday is at 22:10 SA time.
Erasmus anticipated a different French approach
Speaking at his team announcement on Monday, Springbok director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he had expected France to lean towards a more physical option at flyhalf rather than moving Dupont.
"I think the team they're going to pick this weekend is going to be a lighter, running side, moving the ball around a little bit," Erasmus said. "They will always have a good kicking game. And with Dupont there, I'm not sure who's going to play 10."
Erasmus acknowledged that losing specialist flyhalves disrupts a team's structure, drawing on South Africa's own past experiences. "We've lost a couple of 10s in the past, and that does disrupt. At one stage we put Faf [de Klerk] at 10. We played with Quan Horn at 10. One game, we played with [André] Esterhuizen at 10."
The Bok coach also predicted a tight, forward-dominated opening. "I'm 100% sure that in the beginning it's going to be straightforward up and down from both teams, with both trying to get dominance," he said.
Whether Galthié's gamble with Dupont at the base of France's attack unsettles the world champions or hands them a significant tactical advantage remains to be seen when the two sides meet on Friday night.
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Source: Briefly News
