Dupont at flyhalf for France against Springboks to ‘create something unimaginable, unexpected’

Résumé détaillé

France’s talismanic scrumhalf Antoine Dupont will start at flyhalf against the Springboks in Paris on Friday. Is this a genius move by coach Fabien Galthié, or simply a…

France’s talismanic scrumhalf Antoine Dupont will start at flyhalf against the Springboks in Paris on Friday. Is this a genius move by coach Fabien Galthié, or simply a situational selection?

On Monday afternoon Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus mused aloud about France’s flyhalf options for their Nations Championship clash four days hence.

Les Bleus are without key injured flyhalves Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert and Antoine Hastoy. Regular fullback Thomas Ramos, a deadly goalkicker and intelligent playmaker is also injured, ruling out that idea as an option.

France coach Fabien Galthié used scrumhalf Maxime Lucu, he of the all-conquering Bordeaux Bègles club, at flyhalf against Fiji last week after Ntamack was forced out of the game.

The consensus was that Lucu would start in the No 10 jersey against the Boks this weekend due to lack of options.

Erasmus though, looked deeper and wider. He immediately dismissed the Lucu-at-flyhalf idea, musing that France would want someone with more physicality in that channel.

Perhaps he heard Galthié’s comments after Les Bleus’ 54-17 win over Fiji.

The French mentor hinted that a more creative, alternative solution would be needed in the troublesome position against the world champions.

“We’ll have to create something unimaginable, something unexpected,” Galthié said after Fiji had been dismissed.

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