Rugby World Cup: And now, the Springboks for the Blues?

Rugby World Cup: And now, the Springboks for the Blues?

The impact is planned for Sunday, October 15 at 9 p.m. Location: Stade de France. Advertised discount: South Africa. The Blues have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and their next stage looks more like the ascent of Mont Blanc, even if lowered by 2 metres, than the stroll down the hexagonal plains that the almost mastered first round was.

Four victories in the same number of matches, the last of which was this Friday evening against Italy, for the French national team. This hasn’t happened to him since the 2003 edition and that’s really saying a lot.

South African monster

But now a monster has emerged in the opposite direction, the “final boss” as video game players say: the world champions from South Africa. It is a scenario that is on track and will only be modified if the Scots win over Ireland on Saturday night.

Will this change the plight for the Blues? Irish green or South African green remains a default choice, unfairly established three years ago by a too-early draw by World Rugby. And if it comes to the Scottish Thistle (there is still a small chance), we will have time to review our plans.

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The Tricolores have prepared for every eventuality. However, it seems clear in the minds of Fabien Galthie’s staff that ‘The Worst’ were indeed called the Springboks. Through their status as champions, they were crowned champions for the third time in their history in Japan in 2019, and through their aggressive defense and physicality worthy of Marvel’s Avengers. The confrontation that took place between Ireland and South Africa (13-8) in the group stage, the most violent since the start of the World Cup, gave an idea of ​​the strength of the Bucs team, which was betrayed in part by the absence of a reliable scorer (11). Remaining points against entries).

DuPont uncertainty

That there will be damage, that is the main fear for the Blues against South Africa, even if they manage to qualify for the semi-finals. A fear reinforced by the memory of the violent shock events witnessed in Marseille last November (26-30 November) and the injuries at the beginning of the World Cup, from Julien Marchand to Jonathan Dante, including of course the symbolic case of Antoine Dupont, the victim. From facial fractures.

Will Blues key player Antoine Dupont return for the long-awaited quarter-finals? Sports Icon / Sandra Rohaut

Even if half the team gets the medical green light to play in the quarter-finals, will it be necessary to take all the risks in this match or save it for a possible sequel? The question will remain on everyone’s minds, at least until Monday and the crucial meeting between DuPont and his surgeon, Professor Frédéric Lauers.

Erase Durban’s nightmare

Thus, the Tricolores, ranked top eight in the world, join for the tenth time in ten editions contested. But since losing the tough 2011 final in New Zealand to the All Blacks (8-7), they have not progressed beyond the quarter-finals, where the same New Zealanders swept them in 2015 (62-13) and were stunned by Wales in 2019 (20-19). For their World Cup, France are aiming much higher and any result other than victory in the next quarter-final will be seen as a failure.

Especially since no one has forgotten the year 1995, the year of the only confrontation between the Springboks and the French XV in the World Cup. In post-apartheid South Africa, on a wet pitch and with questionable refereeing, the Blues were living out one of their worst nightmares in Durban. There will be revenge to be taken.

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