Antoine Dupont, the Captain of France, is potentially set to make a comeback in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals

France Captain Antoine Dupont Could Recover in Time for Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final

France’s forwards coach, William Servat, is confident that captain Antoine Dupont will be able to recover from a fractured cheekbone and play in the upcoming Rugby World Cup quarter-final. The injury occurred during France’s dominant 96-0 win over Namibia.

Dupont underwent surgery soon after sustaining the facial injury and Servat provided an optimistic update on his progress, stating, “The operation went well, he is resting. He will be back training on Sunday.” With Friday and Saturday designated as rest days for the team, there will be ample time for Dupont to return within this period.

Servat expressed no doubt about Dupont’s ability to perform in the quarter-final match. France has won all three of their pool matches so far and securing victory against Italy would guarantee them a spot in the next round as Pool A winners.

Namibia Captain Johan Deysel Faces Suspension Following Head Clash with Dupont

Namibia captain Johan Deysel was sent off during the game against France for making head-to-head contact with Antoine Dupont. An independent disciplinary committee hearing subsequently ruled that Deysel will miss his team’s next five matches due to this act of foul play.

The committee acknowledged that Deysel’s offense was at the top end of seriousness but reduced his potential ban by half due to mitigating factors such as his apology to Dupont and previous disciplinary record. In addition, if Deysel participates in the World Rugby coaching program focused on tackling techniques, one further match could potentially be removed from his suspension.

Deysel Sends Best Wishes & Apologies to Dupont

Reflecting on the incident, Deysel expressed his regret and extended his best wishes to Antoine Dupont. He emphasized that he meant no harm and acknowledged that he was at fault for the head clash, stating, “Everything happened very quickly, and I couldn’t get my head out of the way quick enough.”

Deysel also clarified that he immediately spoke with France coach Fabien Galthie after the match and sent personal apologies to Dupont through both Galthie and the team doctor. Recognizing Dupont as a great player and person, Deysel wished him a speedy recovery.

Namibia’s World Cup Journey Comes to an End

Namibia has lost all three of their pool matches so far in this Rugby World Cup campaign. Their final group game against Uruguay on Wednesday will mark their exit from the tournament.