Springboks favourites in Paris, but France capable of beating anyone, says Dupont

France will need their stars to align if they are to end a sorry run of nine defeats from their last 10 matches against South Africa, captain Antoine Dupont said ahead of Friday night’s Nations Championship Test in Paris (10.10pm).

In that run, the Springboks even dished out a humbling 32-17 defeat for the French at the Stade de France last year despite playing the entire second half with 14 men following lock Lood de Jager’s red card at the end of the first period.

“I’ve played against them in different contexts, but recently they have had a lot of bulk and a very clear and effective strategy,” Dupont said ahead of the match.

He has played in five defeats from six encounters against the world champions, including their quarter-final exit on home soil at the 2023 World Cup.

“We have to pull out the right match at the right time to get out of this spiral,” said Dupont, who will line up in the unfamiliar number 10 jersey on Friday due to a spate of injuries to flyhalves.

‘Solutions’

Dupont acknowledged that the Springboks are the favourites but insisted that France were “capable of winning against anyone”.

“We will have to surprise ourselves and them. We’re not in the most favourable situation but we have nothing to lose,” he added about France’s injury problems.

“We have to play without complex,” he added.

France coach Fabien Galthie had spoken on Wednesday about how little space and time South Africa afford their opponents, but Dupont expects Les Bleus to create attacking opportunities nonetheless.

“Even though they push up very quickly and bring a lot of intensity, you can still break their lines, like with every team,” said Dupont.

“We will try to exploit those gaps by playing our own game.

“There are possible solutions against them, but you must first meet the physical challenge and win the collisions.

“And then, we have to take our chances, because there won’t be many.”

Positions at nine and 10

Dupont said he had had only one day to train with halfback partner Maxime Lucu as he prepares to start at flyhalf for France for the first time in his 66th appearance.

Both are scrumhalves and most people expected Lucu to start in the number 10 jersey as he had come on in that position when Romain Ntamack went off injured against Fiji last week.

“We both have that versatility (of being able to play in both positions) and we’ve tried to prepare some things with the only day of training that we’ve had,” said Dupont.