France Star Receives Backing From South African Rugby Legend Ahead of Springboks Clash
- Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett gave his verdict on France's decision to shift Antoine Dupont to flyhalf for Friday's Nations Championship clash in Paris
- Mallett pointed to Dupont's physical advantage over Maxime Lucu as a key factor when facing South Africa's powerful ball-carrying forwards
- The former Bok coach also outlined how Dupont and Lucu could interchange positions to keep the Springboks guessing throughout the match
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Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett has endorsed France's decision to field Antoine Dupont at flyhalf for Friday night's Nations Championship Test against South Africa in Paris, arguing the French captain may be a stronger option than Maxime Lucu in that position.
Head coach Fabien Galthié was left with limited choices at No 10 after Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy and Thomas Ramos all became unavailable through injury. Rather than handing the flyhalf jersey to Lucu, Galthié opted to move Dupont from scrumhalf, with Lucu slotting in behind the scrum. The switch will mark Dupont's first Test start at flyhalf in his 66th appearance for France.
Dupont's Physicality Could Trouble Springboks
Speaking on the Talking Boks podcast, Mallett drew comparisons between Dupont's versatility and that of Springboks backs Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse, both of whom operate across multiple positions. He also cited Dupont's exploits in sevens rugby, including helping France claim Olympic gold, as evidence of his ability to perform at the highest level in varied roles.
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A significant part of Mallett's backing centred on Dupont's physical build. He noted that Dupont is approximately 10kg heavier than Lucu, which he believes will be important when South Africa's forwards target the defensive channel around the flyhalf. Mallett suggested Lucu could be exposed in that area, while Dupont's strength and sturdier frame make him better equipped to handle the Springboks' powerful ball-carriers, though he expected South Africa to test Dupont in exactly the same way.
Halfback Rotation Could Unsettle Springboks
Mallett also pointed to the tactical possibilities the Dupont-Lucu combination creates. He sees Lucu as an intelligent kicker and an accurate goal-kicker, while Dupont brings attacking vision and another kicking option. He admitted he had limited exposure to Dupont at flyhalf and was uncertain about his distribution, but expected the French captain to use the backline outside him effectively.
Mallett further predicted that the two halfbacks would interchange positions depending on where France chose to attack. When play shifted to the wider channels, he expects Dupont to drop back to scrumhalf while Lucu assumes the flyhalf duties, a rotation he believes will complicate the Springboks' defensive planning.
Despite his confidence in Dupont's selection, Mallett was clear that the outcome on Friday will hinge on the contest between the two forward packs. He stressed that forward dominance remains the defining factor in Test rugby and that France's forwards will need to match South Africa physically for their halfback strategy to have any meaningful impact.
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Source: Briefly News
