Rugby: Rugby-Springboks won’t be fixated on Dupont in World Cup quarter-final

PARIS (Reuters) – South Africa will play their own game and not make plans around the potential of France captain Antoine Dupont starting in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris on Sunday, says Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk.

Dupont has resumed training after surgery on a facial fracture sustained during a pool game against Namibia.

De Klerk acknowledged the France number nine is the best in the world in his position, but said they would be ready for the hosts with or without their talisman.

“He’s a great player and he gives the team a lot of confidence. But it doesn’t affect us he if plays or doesn’t,” De Klerk told reporters on Monday.

“We prepare to face the team, not individuals. That said, for me personally, it’s always good to face the world’s best.”

The Boks have been noticeably more attacking with ball in hand during the tournament, but De Klerk admitted they could change back to a traditional territory game with the boot if that is the right path to success in what is expected to be a tight contest.

“As a team we can go back to our traditional way of doing things if needs be, but we have also added additional plays to our game which we can bank on,” he said.

“It will go down to what is needed on the day. As a team we are in a lucky position in that regard.”

Assistant coach Deon Davids said France are favourites despite South Africa’s world champion tag.

“They are a formidable team, they’re ranked second in the world, and they’ll have the home crowd behind them, so they’ll be a massive opponent,” he said.

“They are definitely the favourites going into the match. They don’t have any weaknesses.”

The Boks will have had two weeks without a game by the time they play in Paris, and Davids says there are pros and cons to that.

“There’s always a fine line when it comes to whether the week off helps going into such a match or whether it’s better to go in with the momentum from a previous game,” he said.

“I don’t think there is a right answer. In our case, we came off four straight matches, and it was good to give the players a few days off with their families and to recharge.”

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Pritha Sarkar)