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Dupont at fly-half: Galthié's surprise pick against South Africa

Injuries and Ntamack's absence have forced Fabien Galthié to move captain Antoine Dupont to number 10 for France's clash with South Africa on Friday.

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Antoine Dupont in a France rugby jersey passing the ball during a training session ahead of the match against South Africa.
Image: Le Monde

France coach Fabien Galthié has sprung a surprise: captain Antoine Dupont will start at fly-half, the number 10 shirt, against South Africa on Friday, 13 November.

It is an unusual spot for the scrum-half star. The reason is a growing injury list. Romain Ntamack is out, and the usual back-ups in the position are also injured, which left Galthié short of options. Lucu is named at scrum-half in Dupont's place.

The match is part of the Autumn Nations Series (the November Test series) and kicks off at 9:10 pm at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The opponents are the Springboks, the two-time reigning world champions.

There is some history here. A year ago, in November 2025, France beat South Africa 32-17 at the same stadium. This time, they will try to do it again with their best player in a new role.

#rugby#france#antoine dupont#south africa#autumn nations series
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France rugby team vs South Africa, Dupont at fly-half · 2 updates

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  1. France beat world champion South Africa 32-17 at Stade de France
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