France v Namibia (Thu/Fri)

[Which Tyler]

Would anyone be surprised if we see Dupont stay with the squad, sit out Italy, and maybe the SF, but play the QF and Final (if there) wearing one of those legal face masks?

He's just one of those players you think it's going to take more than a fractured cheek bone to keep him off the pitch at a home world cup and probably France's best ever chance.

[Which Tyler]

Fuck, another one

Ramos knee

[Which Tyler]

PT, so time for a restart, the century is still on!


ETA, ah well, nevermind.

Beat wishes to Du vin, Du pain, and the talisman

[Puja]

I’ll stick my neck out and say that pumping teams by 100 is out of fashion.

I'll give you marks - you were absolutely correct. Not by much though!

My gambling fund survives and is doubled going into the weekend.

Puja

[p/d]

Would anyone be surprised if we see Dupont stay with the squad, sit out Italy, and maybe the SF, but play the QF and Final (if there) wearing one of those legal face masks?

He's just one of those players you think it's going to take more than a fractured cheek bone to keep him off the pitch at a home world cup and probably France's best ever chance.

I really hope so. An absolute joy to watch. Also a captain that appears to say nothing but speaks volumes

[pompey-zebra]

Would anyone be surprised if we see Dupont stay with the squad, sit out Italy, and maybe the SF, but play the QF and Final (if there) wearing one of those legal face masks?

He's just one of those players you think it's going to take more than a fractured cheek bone to keep him off the pitch at a home world cup and probably France's best ever chance.

I really hope so. An absolute joy to watch. Also a captain that appears to say nothing but speaks volumes

BBC radio just said that Dupont has a suspected fractured jaw.

[kk67]

So who is the Dupont understudies at this RWC ?. I was a big fan of Baptiste Serin but I haven't seen him around the national squad recently.

[pompey-zebra]

So who is the Dupont understudies at this RWC ?. I was a big fan of Baptiste Serin but I haven't seen him around the national squad recently.

I'm like you, I've liked the look of Serin, so was surprised he wasn't in the squad. Unless he's injured, I'd expect he's in the mix if Dupont is ruled out ( although apart that one radio report, I've heard nothing else about his injury)

[Which Tyler]

Couilloud & Lucu seem to be the understudies in the squad.

As above, I always liked Serin - no idea why he's not there, he's obviously fit, having played a couple of warm-ups and a couple of T14 matches this season.
Not that Lucu and Couilloud are bad, of course, just IMO Serin's offers more.

[Banquo]

Puts a bit more on Jalibert, which he might actually enjoy.

I think which is right- if France get to the final, cue Dupont in Phantom of the Opera mode.

[francoisfou]

I’m disappointed that Serin wasn’t selected as he should be Dupont’s understudy. Not to say that Lucu and Couilloud aren’t fine players but if Dupont is out for the rest of the tournament, I’m not at all confident that they’ll be able to be up to the task.

[Mikey Brown]

Lucu seems great to me. I could see him being first choice for a whole bunch of other teams. DuPont is incredible but they’re got so much talent elsewhere to still dominate.

I don’t know much about the other guy, maybe he matches DuPont’s style a bit better than Lucu?

[paddy no 11]

I'd back lucu over serin, lucu is not going to go off piste in a dhit or bust qf

[Puja]

Potentially good news: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... -face-mask

Looking to a specialist to design an entirely new custom-made mask to protect him for a possible quarter final appearance. Sounds very promising that, even if the quarter is a bridge too far, he'll be back at some point this tournament (assuming France get beyond the quarters).

Puja