Springboks have no special plans for France's Dupont at flyhalf

The France captain has started at flyhalf in a handful of professional games for his Toulouse club but never begun a test match in the 10 jersey.

File photo dated 26-01-2026 of France's captain Antoine Dupont Pic Steve Welsh/PA Wire.

South Africa have no special plans to counter Antoine Dupont at flyhalf in their Nations Championship game with France in Paris on Friday and back their ​defence to deny the mercurial playmaker the space to play, Springbok captain ‌Siya Kolisi said.

An injury to Romain Ntamack will see Dupont take over the number 10 jersey, with the livewire Maxime Lucu at scrumhalf.

Both players are more used to the number nine jersey but ​have featured at flyhalf for their clubs and South Africa expect them to ​switch between positions during the game.

“He's (Dupont) played at 10 before for ⁠his club (Toulouse), and we saw the game where he played there. He was very ​good,” Kolisi said.

“I mean, he can play almost anywhere on the ​field, so I don't think it is a surprise (to see him there).

"Obviously, nobody wants injuries, but every team experiences them and you have to adjust. He's a good enough player to do it. ​He's shown that over the years."

Kolisi said there were no special plans to counter ​Dupont at first receiver and the Springbok defence had a system they stick to, no matter the ‌opposition ⁠or individual players involved.

"Our system doesn't change for any team we play against. We have a system that works and we've prepared for them,” he added.

"We haven't done anything special for him individually just because he's playing at 10. We know Lucu has ​also played at 10 ​for Bordeaux, so ⁠it will be natural for them to swap positions.

“We know Antoine wants to be on the ball a lot and creates a ​lot, so for him to move to nine (during the game) ​will also ⁠be natural.” 

The captain has started at flyhalf in a handful of professional games for his Toulouse club, and shone in a couple, but never begun a test match in the 10 jersey.

“It was a choice that we (he and coach Fabien Galthié) discussed together,” Dupont said on Thursday at the captain’s run. ”We didn’t have a lot of time to think about it either: We had to make this decision quickly then test this combination on a single training session.

“These are two very different positions, but also very linked. With Maxime, we both have this versatility. So we tried to exchange and prepare ourselves as much as possible to adapt. We also worked on some things in our only available training, building on our respective knowledge of these positions. We looked for the combination that could work best for the team, with maximum adaptation.

“Everyone has different qualities and we’re working to allow the team to play its best. It will be, above all, a question of adaptation.”

Kolisi expects an intense atmosphere in Paris, the scene of the Springboks’ epic 29-28 victory over France in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

South Africa have won ⁠9 of ​their last 10 tests against the French, the ​only blemish a 30-26 loss in Marseille in 2022. They are unbeaten in their last five tests in Paris, ​last losing in the French capital in 2005.

“They are a team that loses very little and is particularly difficult to beat. But they can be caught out like every team,” Dupont said. “They very often manage to make up for their mistakes thanks to their collective strength. We will try to find flaws in their game, there are solutions to them.

“Once again, we will first have to take up the physical challenge and win our collisions. Then, we will have to be constantly reading the game and able to seize opportunities. They will probably be few in number but we will have to be as pragmatic as possible when we have them.”

Reuters and Associated Press