Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick showed great respect for France ahead of their Nations Championship test at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday and admitted the selection of Antoine Dupont at flyhalf could bring a new dimension to the hosts’ game, although they were prepared for an epic battle.
Both teams wrapped up their training on Thursday for the clash with their traditional captains run, and both Stick and Siya faced a barrage of questions about the surprise selection of Dupont at flyhalf after the team had been hit by an injury crisis in the position.
Kolisi said he wasn’t surprised about Dupont’s selection: “He’s played there before for his club, and he played very well. He can play almost anywhere on the field and he’s a good enough player to do it. No one wants injuries, but every team goes through them, and players end up covering other positions, so it’s normal in rugby.”
The Bok captain was unfazed by how France’s halfback combination, where Dupont will be joined by Maxime Lucu, would affect the match, especially on defence.
“Our system doesn’t change for any team we play against,” he said.
“We’ve watched clips and seen how they play, and we’ve watched how he plays at flyhalf too, so we haven’t done anything special for him individually because he’s playing at No 10.
“Maxime Lucu has also played flyhalf for Bordeaux, so it will happen naturally for them to swap. Antoine wants to be on the ball a lot and he creates a lot of play on the field, so for him to go to scrumhalf will also be natural, and they’ll be able to adjust. That said, our system is prepared for that, so it doesn't matter who we’re playing against.”
Stick shared Kolisi’s sentiments: “When it comes to physicality, we know one thing for sure, France will always bring it. They’ve got very good physical players, especially among their forwards, but No 9 and No 10 is where it’s going to get tricky.
“I have no doubt that even though Dupont will be wearing the No 10 jersey, he’s going to have licence to do whatever he wants between the two positions.
“Remember that Lucu has also covered 10 in the past, so between the two of them there’ll be freedom to keep swapping in general play. You’ll probably see Dupont at the breakdowns at No 9, and Lucu at first receiver at times. So, we know what they want to achieve.
“That said if we allow that halfback combination time and space with ball in hand, they have the potential to punish us, so our main focus point is to make sure we don’t allow that. They also have very dangerous outside backs, and they’ve selected very quick players.”
NEW GAME, NEW OPPORTUNITY
Elaborating on the rest of the French team and what the Boks wanted to achieve in the match, Stick said: “It’s no secret how we operate on defence. We have our strengths and weaknesses, and denying the opposition space will always be part of our plan.
“If you're playing against the best in the world, guys like Dupont and (Louis) Bielle-Biarrey have the potential to test you thoroughly if they have an opportunity to make their mark.
“Also, you don’t want to allow teams to get on top of you, especially with playmakers like Lucu and Dupont. Dupont, in particular, will stay on top of you, and he’s very good at making decisions under pressure, and on the other side you have Lucu, who is probably one of the best in game management, and he has a good kicking game.
“If I look at the profiles of the two teams, both packs want momentum and want to dominate, and that will set the platform for both backlines. So, if we get quick ball with the backline players we've got, we also have the potential to punish France.”
Kolisi shot down suggestions that the team’s one-point victory against France in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal could give the team a mental edge going into this encounter
“No, we take every game as it comes – what happened then is history,” said Kolisi.
“We’ve changed the group and a little bit in the way we play, so we don’t get stuck on things that have happened before. This is a new game and a new opportunity. There are a few guys who haven’t played here before, so it’s a new challenge.”
However, Kolisi added: “We’re not stuck on what happened, but we also haven’t forgotten how they must feel, and we’ve been there ourselves. We’ve played against teams that have beaten us in the past, but you take what you've learned, and you move forward to the next game.”
Zoning in on what they are expecting at Stade de France, Kolisi said: “The atmosphere is beautiful with the setup, the anthems, and the theatre-like atmosphere.
“I remember playing here last year and how passionate the crowd gets. French people love their rugby, just like South Africans, and they get behind their team. But once that’s all finished and you step onto the field, all of that is gone. It’s just you and the guy opposite you, and that’s all that matters.
“There’s also the physical side. We know the French pride themselves on their set pieces and getting over the advantage line, but we pride ourselves on that too, so we know exactly what’s required of us and what our standards are, and that’s all the coaches are asking for.”
The match kicks off at 10:10pm (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.