“In the face of the ‘Affs of the South’, we will not have to move forward.”

So far it’s perfect. Beating the New Zealanders by a record score first is not anecdotal. After that, we had a couple of slightly easier games. However, the World Cup always starts in the quarter-finals. There are eight major nations and an equal number of qualifying nations, so, barring any surprises – there is one, rarely two – the major nations are there and the level is rising. I was at the South Africa-Ireland match, and my hair was standing on end. What an atmosphere! Any game ! You may be a rugby fan or not, but ‘wow’, that’s rugby. I think we will see some great midfielders!

Like everyone else, you tremble for Antoine Dupont…

Of course, I’ve known him since he was a kid. There is a little apprehension. I almost had a feeling about this easy game against Namibia. Maybe he should have come off at half-time. We add to the risks. Now I hope he can play in the middle. I hear leading experts talking about this topic. But the one who will make the decision is Antoine Dupont, based on the recommendations and advice of the specialists who performed the operation on him. Let’s hope! If he plays, let him stand, and not get hit in the same place. There is a small chance statistically, and I hope South Africa will be fair enough not to make it an area of ​​influence.

What does the quarter looming ahead of South Africa mean to you?

In confronting Sudan, we will not have to move forward. South Africa’s direct play is their strength, if the opponent does not give in, they have no plan B. We saw that against Ireland. If the person who starts the game well, takes more initiative, and resists physical challenge, he has a good chance of winning.

On a general level, are you having a good time?

It’s always the same thing, you have choices a little bit below. When they play against each other, we often see very good matches, there is suspense, there is play, and when they dominate the team to a large extent, it becomes more difficult. But it’s always been that way since 1987.

What benefits can French rugby hope to gain from this World Cup?

I hope that professional rugby, as well as amateur rugby, will benefit from this by increasing the number of young licensees. There will also be an impact on stadium occupancy, even if we set a record last year by averaging more than 15,000 spectators per game in the top 14.

With this World Cup season over, can we expect the hierarchy in the top 14 to change?

naturally. Courses that have done very well in recent years may not be eligible. It also creates uncertainty. The level of the top 14 rises every year. It’s a bit like the French team. 25 years ago, they had 25 players, and then if there was an injury or two, it was over. Today, at least two teams can play at the highest level. It’s the same thing in the club. When I was president of Toulouse, I had 25 professional contracts. Now the number is over 50. We can run duplicates much more easily than at one time.

If the top 14 teams do well, we will see another big power emerge with the Japanese Championship. Are you afraid of this competition with those with big resumes who are going out there?

In rugby, we are built on competition between players, clubs and nations. The more competition there is, the better the rugby becomes. We must not fall into hibernation. When I see some countries backing down a little, it doesn’t make me happy at all. When the competition is good, we are all better.

With the exception of France and Japan, world rugby is in decline. In this sense, is it necessary to fix it?

I’ll be very clear: the only successful competitions are ours. Because we have a sports engine with ups and downs. In other countries there is no competition because this system does not exist. There are competitors who are only there to win, and if they lose, there are no penalties. Having a regular season and then the final stages also prepares France’s team for the decisive matches in the World Cup. Other countries should take inspiration from what we are doing, with our ‘leapfrog’ policy, salary cap, promotion and relegation and club policy. Because I won’t budge: the basic unit of rugby is the club.

In this sense, should we reform major competitions such as the Six Nations or the World Cup so that they are open?