The extra of France you watch, the extra you realise – that is Antoine Dupont’s world and we’re all simply dwelling in it.
Dupont has a skillset that’s distinctive amongst not solely scrum halves however all rugby gamers. The imaginative and prescient and distribution that any world-class No 9 has is married with a sniping acceleration and fleetness of foot up there with the very best wingers on the planet.
A low centre of gravity offers him the power of a bowling ball skittling defenders and means he’s seemingly impervious to the disruptive affect of opposition flankers lurking across the ruck.
His partnership for membership and nation with now-injured fly half Romain Ntamack is telepathic and he directs the French assault with the grace and confidence of an orchestra conductor. Simply put, and with apologies to reigning World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Josh van der Flier, Dupont is the very best participant on the planet.
If Les Bleus are to lastly recover from the road and carry the Rugby World Cup for the primary time, having been runners-up on three events, their talismanic No 9 should ship the products. And make no mistake, that’s the expectation.
There’s a palpable sense of pleasure all through France as they enter this house World Cup that stretches far past the normal rugby heartlands within the south of the nation. A mouth-watering opening conflict towards New Zealand on the Stade de France on Friday night is the final word appetiser for what’s to return.
Dupont is undoubtedly the poster boy of the match, his visage adorning a whole bunch of billboards and adverts. Being the face of a serious international occasion brings a sure stress that may both mould a diamond or crush an athlete.
Dupont isn’t exhibiting the stress thus far
(AP)
Cathy Freeman on the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012 and Lionel Messi finally yr’s males’s soccer World Cup rose to the event, whereas issues had been a lot stickier for Kostas Kenteris on the Athens 2004 Olympics and Liu Xiang in Beijing 4 years later. But Dupont is assured he’ll cope.
“There’s pressure because we’re expected to do well, and we’ve built up people’s hopes over the last four seasons with the results we’ve had,” he mentioned in a pre-match press convention. “But the pressure isn’t as high as the motivation and standards we set ourselves – or our ambition. Above all, we believe in ourselves. That’s what drives us. We have to keep doing what we’ve been doing for the last four years.”
What they’ve been doing for the previous 4 years is popping themselves right into a ruthless profitable machine, all geared in direction of this house World Cup. The previous cliché that “you never know which France team will turn up” has at all times been borderline nonsensical however now it’s outright ludicrous. Head coach Fabien Galthie has manufactured a exceptional consistency that has seen Les Bleus end within the high two of each Six Nations throughout this World Cup cycle.
With a world-class teaching group together with the likes of common supervisor Raphael Ibanez, the very best defence coach of the 21st century, and possibly all-time, Shaun Edwards and assistant coach William Servat, the France squad are a well-drilled unit along with being replete with world-class expertise.
They have exceptional depth and that will probably be examined with fly half Romain Ntamack, lock Paul Willemse, prop Cyril Baille and centre Jonathan Danty all battling harm, though Baille and Danty are anticipated to be again in some unspecified time in the future through the group stage. Ntamack is a key blow however back-up Matthieu Jalibert is a world-class substitute who would doubtless begin at No 10 for 90 per cent of groups at this World Cup, in order that they shouldn’t miss a beat.
Matthieu Jalibert will play a key function within the absence of Romain Ntamack
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The latest build-up to the match has been overshadowed by the controversial call-up of Bastien Chalureau to interchange Willemse. Chalureau was sentenced to 6 months in jail in 2020 for a racially motivated assault on two different rugby gamers, though he has denied the racist character of the incident and appealed towards that side of the ruling. With a deep pool of high quality second-rowers to name upon, the knowledge of choosing such a infamous participant has been questioned.
Regardless, as a rugby-mad nation impatiently expects, this France group know that they’re in place to make historical past.
France
Coach: Fabien Galthie
Captain: Antoine Dupont
Key Player: Jonathan Danty – Antoine Dupont is the apparent, and doubtless appropriate, reply however you realize what you’re getting with the scrum-half celebrity. Danty deserves a nod as he has turn into maybe the world’s greatest energy centre over the previous couple of years and his abrasive carrying makes Les Bleus’ assault tick. He’s not match for the World Cup opener towards the All Blacks however ought to be again through the pool stage in some unspecified time in the future.
Rising star: Cameron Woki – When a group is as well-established as France have turn into throughout this World Cup cycle, it’s robust to pinpoint a rising star. Twenty-year-old Bordeaux winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey is electrical and will present an X-factor however faces a battle to even make the matchday 23. Meanwhile, big ahead Cameron Woki continues to be solely 24 years previous and the harm to Paul Willemse has given him a possibility within the second row alongside Thibaud Flament. He’d performed most of his profession within the again row earlier than a shock change to lock in autumn 2021, the place his pace across the park and virtually unrivalled lineout capability will probably be much more of a boon.
Big query: Can France overcome each the lack of key gamers equivalent to Romain Ntamack and Paul Willemse in addition to the large house stress?
Squad
Forwards: Cyril Baille, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Reda Wardi, Uini Atonio, Dorian Aldegheri, Sipili Falatea; Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka, Pierre Bourgarit; Thibaud Flament, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki, Bastien Chalureau; Gregory Alldritt, Paul Boudehent, Francois Cros, Sekou Macalou, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch.
Backs: Antoine Dupont (captain), Maxime Lucu, Baptiste Couilloud; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy; Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Arthur Vincent, Yoram Moefana; Damian Penaud, Gabin Villiere, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Thomas Ramos, Melvyn Jaminet.
Schedule
Friday 8 September: France vs New Zealand, Pool A (Paris, 8.15pm)
Thursday 14 September: France vs Uruguay, Pool A (Lille, 8pm)
Thursday 21 September: France vs Namibia, Pool A (Marseille, 8pm)
Friday 6 October: France vs Italy, Pool A (Lyon, 8pm)
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk
