France Rugby Federation: "Following his medical visit today with the surgeon who operated on him, Antoine Dupont obtained authorisation to resume rugby training"; Les Bleus face South Africa in Rugby World Cup quarter-final on Saturday; Dupont suffered cheekbone fracture on September 21
Monday 9 October 2023 16:36, UK
France captain Antoine Dupont has been cleared to resume training following a fractured cheekbone ahead of Les Bleus' Rugby World Cup quarter-final against South Africa on Sunday.
France Rugby confirmed that "following his medical visit today [Monday] with the surgeon who operated on him, Antoine Dupont obtained authorisation to resume rugby training".
Dupont sustained the injury in France's Pool A win over Namibia on September 21 after being tackled high, with doubts then as to whether he would be able to return at all during the tournament.
The 26-year-old had surgery in Toulouse a day later, however, and now appears set to make a remarkable recovery and return to the fray just over three weeks later.
Hosts France face defending world champions South Africa in Paris on Sunday (8pm kick-off BST) looking to book a first semi-final place since 2011.
The winner will face the side that emerges victorious from England's World Cup quarter-final against Fiji in Marseille on Sunday (4pm kick off BST) in the semi-finals.
The fact France head coach Fabien Galthie will have Dupont unexpectedly back will come as a massive bonus, with the scrum-half essential to the success Les Bleus have enjoyed of recent times.
Dupont, World Player of the Year in 2021, and Six Nations Player of the Year for the last two years, was not missed in France's final Pool A game against Italy on Friday, as they won 60-7 in Lyon to confirm progression, but a clash against the Springboks is an altogether different proposition.
