[RWC2023 QF4] France vs South Africa (15/10/2023)

[LIONSxv]

Antoine Dupont: France captain 'very active in training' before possible Rugby World Cup return

Antoine Dupont remains in contention for France's World Cup quarter-final against South Africa, says forwards coach William Servat.

www.bbc.co.uk

At 100% but looks like he was stung by an entire hornet's nest. Will he be able to see?

No chance he will anywhere near 100% after a facial injury like that. Even the most toughest players will wince when they first get tackled. That could knock 20% off his game
That said he is so good he is the one player in the world that could play at 80% and still be mom
I just hope for him and rugby he doesn't get properly clattered and end up back on the surgeon's table

 

[Gray_Mouser]

You have to wonder how the referee would react to even a slightly litigious tackle against him though. That might bias his decisions in Dupont's favour a little, and in turn give him a little more room than usual.

And I'm not saying I like it.

 

[The Seeker]

I think France will win although I hope South Africa does.

 

[Gray_Mouser]

I feel the other way around. It's probably natural to think that what you don't want to happen, will happen.

Either way, let's try to savour it. It will probably be the last good match before the final.

 

[Jer1cho]

Head says France will win. Heart says SA. Just like in 2019, where the whole world wanted Japan to win, the whole world will want France to win. 50/50 calls or borderline cards are going to go the wrong way for us with that crowd and atmosphere. Just have that feeling it isn't meant to be.

 

[dirty harry]

This is where the TV replay system and monitoring starts to get scrutinised.

First few games of this RWC were disgraceful, very few replays of anything. It's beenfixed now, but with a baying crowd, I would expect a lot of angles and number of replays for any SA infringement, and for French infringements to be overlooked.

 

[miccloarch]

Good to see the excuses still being pre-empted lol. Were South Africa favoured in 1995, 2007 and 2019? The French are apparently still sore about '95 (and 2011 lol). Get over it. Everyone gets robbed at some point but the robberies tend to even out over time and sometimes the best teams win despite bad calls.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Why are we talking about hypothetical referee calls? Two of the best players in the world may be coming back from serious injuries and this is an absolute clash of the ***ans.

 

[dirty harry]

Why are we talking about hypothetical referee calls? Two of the best players in the world may be coming back from serious injuries and this is an absolute clash of the ***ans.

Because we should expect Dupont to get roughed up early doors...

If a SA forward even looks at him wrong we are going to get 14 angled replays and 3 minutes of booing

 

[miccloarch]

Why are we talking about hypothetical referee calls? Two of the best players in the world may be coming back from serious injuries and this is an absolute clash of the ***ans.

France are destined to be favoured apparently.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Boks fans going into a big game:

*Excuses

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Head says France will win. Heart says SA. Just like in 2019, where the whole world wanted Japan to win, the whole world will want France to win. 50/50 calls or borderline cards are going to go the wrong way for us with that crowd and atmosphere. Just have that feeling it isn't meant to be.

Nah, you have to get up for it. We are kicking off. We gonna hit 'em fast, gonna hit 'em hard. The whole thing will be done and dusted and a non-spectacle at the 25 minute mark. No-one even seeing what happened. France down to 13 men after 30 minutes and the ref calls it then and there on the basis of player safety due to the apparent mismatch.

 

[LIONSxv]

Why are we talking about hypothetical referee calls? Two of the best players in the world may be coming back from serious injuries and this is an absolute clash of the ***ans.

I don't have a dog in this fight. However I would be worried is I was a Safer. The Partizan nature of french coverage has always bugged me in European games. However the hysteria that the French have built up around this team has dragged this down further
We noew have French players regularly play acting for the benefit of an over zealous production team which then influences the crowd and refs
I've loved this French team over the past 4 years but dispise play acting. It's what separates rugby from football and goes against the spirit of our game

 

[Jer1cho]

Springboks – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Willie le Roux.

Reinach starting... Didn't see that coming. 5-3 bench. Different plan for this game.

 

[Glassjaw]

SA is looking to secure the last 30 minutes when the game is tight with Faf-Pollard, after they get us exhausted in the first 50' (as they did against Ireland, but then starting to lose concistency).

Fortunately we usually end well our games, but SA move seems clever to me.

 

[Which Tyler]

Wow - a proper bench!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Damn good team and bench. Vermeulen must have been saved for the knockout stages.

 

[dirty harry]

2 points.

1. 5-3 split is a massive sign of:
A. Respect to France
B. Lessons learnt from Ire

2. Rassie has been very very quiet this week, no grenades, no accusations, no pressure on the ref. I'd suggest nerves and the enormity of what SA have to do on Sunday.

Cannot wait for this

 

[big ginger 8]

SA looking to play at pace, by their standards, by the looks of it. Interesting change up.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

DuPont picked but bbc haven't announced full team yet.

Edit: on X: