Rugby WC: France captain Antoine Dupont trains with headguard before quarter-final tie vs South Africa

France's hopes that captain Antoine Dupont will be fit to face South Africa in the World Cup quarter-final were boosted on Wednesday when the scrum-half trained for the second day wearing a headguard. Dupont, 26, was given the green light to return to full contact sessions earlier this week after undergoing surgery on a fractured cheekbone he suffered during the pool match against Namibia on September 21.

Dupont is now in line to feature for the hosts against the Springboks on Saturday after first trying out the protection during Tuesday's session. "Antoine, is someone who is intelligent, sensible," France No. 8 Gregory Alldritt told reporters on Wednesday. "If he says he can play again, it means that he's fully able to do so," he added.

Dupont spent a few days at home following surgery before returning to France's set-up last week to participate in some running and bike exercises. "He's doing well," said France scrum coach William Servat. "He's always been involved, even during his rest period.

"Now he's even more involved. He's back with us, he is taking part in a very active way." Les Bleus will name their team to face the World Cup holders on Friday.

France assistant coach Laurent Labit opined on the clash vs SA and said: "We know what we're up against and who we're up against. We have a lot of respect for this team and what they've done. They're an inspiration to us in terms of what they've achieved."

Labit added that France would maybe be more ambitious than they were 11 months ago. "When we played them last November we decided to close down the game and try to take as few risks as possible," he explained.

"We had opportunities to play but we were so stuck in the pattern that we lacked ambition. We took that into account. In a World Cup quarter-final will the space be there or not? The priority will be to contain this team and find the space." In their only World Cup meeting, in the 1995 semi-finals, France played with ambition against the Springboks but were denied victory after having three tries ruled out.

"We were denied three tries. I don't see why those tries weren't valid," former France winger Emile Ntamack told RMC Sport. "But it was decided otherwise. We still have a bitter taste in our mouths because we feel robbed."

(Inputs from Agencies)

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