By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) -Antoine Dupont will start for France in Sunday’s quarter-final clash against defending champions South Africa after recovering from surgery on a broken cheekbone in a massive boost for the hosts.
The mercurial scrumhalf missed Les Bleus’s final Pool A game against Italy and while he was not needed in a 60-7 demolition of the Azzurri, the captain’s presence will offer a confidence boost and add danger to Fabien Galthie’s side.
The 26-year-old’s return, three weeks after a head-on-head collision with Namibia’s Johan Deysel sent him to the hospital, pushes Maxime Lucu back onto the bench after he stood in brilliantly for Dupont alongside flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert.
Galthie opted to put six forwards instead of five on the bench as he looks to cope with the Springboks’ power and skill up front.
France won the last meeting between the two teams, 30-26 last November, while South Africa prevailed 19-15 in their last World Cup encounter, in the 1995 semi-finals.
Team:
15-Thomas Ramos, 14-Damian Penaud, 13-Gael Fickou, 12-Jonathan Danty, 11-Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10-Matthieu Jalibert, 9-Antoine Dupont (cap.), 8-Gregory Alldritt, 7-Charles Ollivon, 6-Anthony Jelonch, 5-Thibaud Flament, 4-Cameron Woki, 3-Uini Atonio, 2-Peato Mauvaka, 1-Cyril Baille.
Replacements:
16-Pierre Bourgarit, 17-Reda Wardi, 18-Dorian Aldegheri, 19-Romain Taofifenua, 20-Francois Cros, 21-Sekou Macalou, 22-Maxime Lucu, 23-Yoram Moefana
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Alex Richardson and Toby Davis)
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