Matthieu Jalibert admitted the return of talismanic captain Antoine Dupont has given France a huge boost ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering World Cup quarter-final against defending champions South Africa in Paris.
The 26-year-old scrum-half will lead Les Bleus into their last-eight tie just over three weeks after suffering a broken cheekbone against Namibia that placed his remaining involvement in the tournament in jeopardy.
Stand-off Jalibert is relishing the prospect of having his half-back partner back alongside him as he believes Dupont’s presence will give the Boks something extra to worry about.
“The whole team is very happy to have him back,” said Jalibert. “We’re happy to have him with us, knowing that he’ll be able to start this quarter-final. It’s always a pleasure to play with him. It’s easy to adapt to his game and to play alongside him.
“It gives us a lot of confidence. We know he’s capable of making a big difference, and that he inspires fear in opponents.
“It gives us more space around him. It’s always an asset to have him with us. Even if he’s wearing a scrum-cap, he’s at 100 per cent of his ability.”
In addition to having their on-field leader back, the French are drawing inspiration from the backing of a partisan home support.
The South Africans revealed this week that they have been training with noise coming through the speakers to simulate the effects of the French crowd in order to reduce the chances of being intimidated when they run out at a packed Stade de France.
Les Bleus have not lost on home soil since being defeated by Scotland behind closed doors in the Six Nations two and a half years ago and full-back Thomas Ramos is “not surprised” their opponents are taking measures to counter the impact of what is sure to be an intoxicating atmosphere.
“The South Africans remember Marseille last year,” he said, referencing Les Bleus’ 30-26 victory in November. “The atmosphere was incredible. There was a lot of noise.
“It was almost impossible to hear each other on the pitch. That’s what they remember, and they must have seen the games against New Zealand (on the opening night of the World Cup) and in the Six Nations.
“The atmosphere is expected to be strong from the French public. It’s no surprise that South Africa train with a lot of noise.”
After the tournament began amid a late-summer heat wave last month, temperatures are notably cooler in the French capital this weekend.
“It doesn’t necessarily change anything,” Ramos said of the more autumnal conditions. “It might be a bit better.
“When you want to make passes and the ball is slippery, it’s not always easy to set up your game. We saw that in the previous match (against Italy in Lyon last week).
“The conditions will be different, but it will help us feel better throughout the match.”
With the two sides barely separable in the top three of the world rankings, French team manager Raphael Ibanez is hoping home advantage gives Les Bleus a slight edge as they bid to eliminate the three-time winners.
“It’s a big game,” said Ibanez. “Playing South Africa, who won the competition four years ago, at the Stade de France in the final stages in front of our home crowd, we couldn’t dream of anything better.
“I think that we have an advantage, playing at Stade de France, in front of a public that will be there to support and encourage us.”
Gatland future up in the air after Wales suffer 12th consecutive loss
Wales head coach Warren Gatland did not have answers about his future following their 45-12 defeat to South Africa, their 12th consecutive loss.
The Springboks dominated from the off and were cruising 26-0 just before half-time, after Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw crossed.
Rio Dyer's try before the break ensured Wales did not draw a blank in the first half, but South Africa did not let up as Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenenkamp and Jordan Hendrikse all followed suit.
James Botham's late effort ensured Wales did not suffer their worst-ever home defeat, but they have now gone an entire calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.
Gatland has come under increasing pressure as the losses pile up, and though his future remains up in the air, he was proud of how his inexperienced side held up against the world champions.
"It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say," he told TNT Sports when asked about his future.
"You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.
"Let's just see what happens over the next few days."
On their recent run of form, he added: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years, and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.
"The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that, collectively, with the regions we work together.
"I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view. We will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months, so when they turn up for the Six Nations, they're ready to go from day one."
South Africa have won each of their last three Tests, building on their wins over Scotland and England earlier in the series.
Captain Siya Kolisi was pleased with their ruthlessness in the game but also sympathised with Gatland's situation.
"It's been a really good tour," he told TNT Sports. "It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won, but there was so much we could have done better.
"The results are important, but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.
"We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.
"The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things."
Elsewhere, Ireland produced their most convincing win of their series, scoring eight tries as they cruised past Fiji 52-17 in Dublin earlier on Saturday.
France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win
France posted a comfortable 37-23 win over Argentina on Friday to make it three wins out of three tests at the Stade de France to conclude their Autumn Nations Series.
Having also beaten New Zealand and Japan in Paris this month, Fabien Galthie's side claimed four tries, including a superb solo effort from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as they eased to victory against the Pumas.
The hosts led 30-9 at the break after Argentina's Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez were both shown yellow cards in the first half, with Thomas Ramos slotting his third penalty of the game.
Tomas Albornoz made it 30-16 for Felipe Contepomi's visitors, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games before Ramos made it 37-16.
Albornoz then cut the deficit to 37-23 with a two-pointer with nine minutes to play, but that wasn't enough to stop his side from falling to a defeat.
"We knew it was going to be an 80-minute game. We saw last week how Argentina went all the way against a good Irish team," France lock Emmanuel Meafou told TNT Sports.
"We are happy with the win. We have three from three [in the autumn] and we will look to build on that in the Six Nations next year."
England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick
England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday.
Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.
However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.
But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008.
Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style.
"We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.
"I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."
Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019.
Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.
In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.
Fin Smith replaces George Ford on England's bench while Cunningham-South steps in for Alex Dombrandt. Sale's Opoku-Fordjour could also make his senior debut.
"We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick.
"Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."
England team to face Japan
George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck.
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