France v South Africa, Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-final: when is it, how to watch

Belfast Telegraph

14 October 2023

France v South Africa, Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-final: when is it, how to watch

What a clash of the titans! Rugby World Cup favourites France against highly-fancied South Africa, the reigning champions. And now the hosts have the world’s best player, Antoine Dupont, back in full-contact training and available to play despite undergoing surgery to repair a fractured cheekbone only a fortnight ago.

France made it through Pool A, which included New Zealand, with four wins from four and finished top, ensuring they faced the second-placed team in Pool B, South Africa. The Springboks’ only defeat in their group was to Ireland.

France v South Africa in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals is on Sunday, Oct 15. The game kicks off at 8pm (BST, 9pm local time).

Capacity: 80,023

This stadium was built for the 1998 Fifa World Cup and has been the national stadium for France ever since, as well as the home for the country’s rugby team. Les Bleus first played here on Feb 7, 1998, when Philippe Bernat-Salles and the late Christophe Dominici both crossed the whitewash in a 24-17 defeat of England.

Antoine Dupont will start for France against defending champions South Africa after recovering from surgery on a broken cheekbone in a massive boost for the hosts.

The mercurial scrum-half missed Les Bleus’ final Pool A game against Italy and while he was not needed in the 60-7 demolition of the Azzurri, the captain’s presence will offer a confidence boost and add danger to Fabien Galthie’s side.

The 26-year-old’s return, three weeks after a head-on-head collision with Namibia’s Johan Deysel sent him to hospital, pushes Maxime Lucu back onto the bench after he stood in brilliantly for Dupont alongside fly-half Matthieu Jalibert.

Galthie has opted to put six forwards instead of five on the bench as he looks to cope with the Springboks’ power and skill up front.

France won the last meeting between the two teams, 30-26 last November, while South Africa prevailed 19-15 in their last World Cup encounter, in the 1995 semi-finals.

South Africa have named a surprise half-back pairing of Manie Libbok and Cobus Reinach and only five forwards on the bench for Sunday’s France clash.

Coach Jacques Nienaber had several selection conundrums ahead of the game at the Stade de France, with the most anticipated being the choice of fly-half, and in naming his side on Friday gave the nod to Libbok despite misgivings about his kicking ability. He is selected over Handre Pollard, who is seen as much more reliable with his kicking but not as innovative in the pivot post.

Reinach comes in for Faf de Klerk at scrum-half, with Nienaber saying he was better suited to dealing with the French kicking game.

“We selected the team that we think will give us the best opportunity to win the game on Sunday,” the coach said.

After picking seven forwards among the replacements for their last huge clash against Ireland, Nienaber has gone with a 5-3 split of forwards to backs, marking a change of approach as they look to match the attacking verve of the hosts.

South Africa XV: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Libbok, Reinach; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Vermeulen.

Replacements:Fourie, Nche, Koch, Snyman, Smith, De Klerk, Pollard, Le Roux.

Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand). This is a first Rugby World Cup quarter-final as referee for the New Zealander.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

ITV has exclusive broadcast rights to show the Rugby World Cup in the UK. The France v South Africa quarter-final match will be on ITV 1. You can read Telegraph Sport’s analysis of the best TV commentators and pundits.

Radio commentary will be available only on the BBC, across Radio 5 Live, 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds service. The BBC offers a “bespoke output” in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Tickets for this match, if they are still available, can be purchased via the official Rugby World Cup ticket portal.