France shock by picking Antoine Dupont at flyhalf against Springboks

France coach Fabien Galthie announced on Wednesday that captain Antoine Dupont would play at flyhalf against South Africa in their Nations Championship match on Friday, 13 November.

Kick-off at the Stade de France in Paris is at 22:10 (SA time).

READ | How the Springboks looked the last time they played France

Missing key players

Les Bleus are missing their four first-choice number 10s in Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy and Thomas Ramos, who usually plays at fullback but is also a top-class flyhalf.

Dupont and Maxime Lucu had been widely expected to line up in the half-back positions, but with the captain retaining his scrumhalf spot.

Lucu had come on at flyhalf outside Dupont against Fiji last week to replace Ntamack, who suffered a shoulder injury just past the half-hour mark.

But against the Springboks, their roles will be reversed.

South Africa boast a good record in Paris

Galthie has opted to beef up his pack against the fearsome Springbok forwards on Friday night at the Stade de France, with Julien Marchand picked in place of Maxime Lamothe at hooker.

Former captain Gregory Alldritt makes his return to the team for the first time in a year at No 8 with fellow back-rower Paul Boudehent injured.

France have lost nine of their last 10 encounters against the Springboks, including the last five meetings at the Stade de France.

Teams

France

15 Théo Attissogbe, 14 Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, 13 Kalvin Gourgues, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Antoine Dupont (captain), 9 Maxime Lucu, 8 Grégory Alldritt, 7 Cameron Woki, 6 François Cros, 5 Mickaël Guillard, 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Sipili Falatea, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros

Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Régis Montagne, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Tom Staniforth, 21 Esteban Capilla, 22 Axel Desperes, 23 Émilien Gailleton

South Africa

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)