Sports mix
Rugby World Cup: France hopes for a star with a broken face
France’s rugby star Antoine Dupont (r) is expected to be back on the pitch in the World Cup final on Sunday. photo
© Aurelien Morissard/AP/dpa
The Rugby World Cup is entering the knockout phase. Host France wants to finally win gold in front of their home crowd. The star player is about to make a timely comeback – despite a severe facial injury.
Antoine Dupont crashes into his opponent at full speed, head against face. The French rugby star’s upper jaw and cheekbone break. An entire sporting nation is trembling for the hosts’ most important player at the home World Cup.
It’s been three weeks since the accident, which would have meant a long break for some other athletes, especially in a contact sport like rugby. Not for Dupont. Shortly before the French World Cup quarter-finals this weekend, the question is no longer whether the captain of Les Bleus can make his comeback – but only whether he will Sunday (9 p.m./ProSiebenMaxx) against defending champions South Africa will play with or without head protection.
The doctors gave the 26-year-old, whose scratches are still visible on his face, permission for the operation. The 2021 rugby world player had quick surgery after his collision in the group game against Namibia, and he missed the last preliminary round match. This week, Dupont returned to team training, and the public in France followed the exceptional player’s every move. “Good foot and good eye,” observed Paris Match magazine; the captain is ready, “Le Monde” analyzed. Assistant coach William Servat attested to Dupont’s “100 percent of his abilities,” as the sports paper “L’Équipe” reported.
164.5 million television viewers
There are no limits to pain for the home team in this tournament. The Grande Nation wants to become Rugby World Champion for the first time, France failed in the final three times (1987, 1999, 2011) and also won bronze once at the World Cup in 1995). In nine World Cups so far, the French have only failed to make it to the semi-finals three times – including in the last two tournaments to date in 2015 and 2019. The rugby nation is longing for compensation.
The home World Cup is keeping France under its spell; even before the knockout rounds began this week, the organizers reported a total of 164.5 million television viewers on French channels for the games so far. More than a million people were drawn to the fan zones set up in ten cities during the 40 group stage games. As the newspaper “Le Figaro” reported, the fan zones attract not only families but also young people, while there is otherwise talk of an aging rugby audience. The mood is peaceful and relaxed. But there are always numerous guests watching the games on the screens in pubs and restaurants across the country.
The fact that the Rugby World Cup is well received in France can also be seen in the sales of fan products, according to the newspaper. Up to 20,000 people come to the largest fan shop on the Place de la Concorde in Paris every day, including of course many tourists. The manufacturer of the national jerseys, for example, is rubbing its hands; 250,000 shirts have already been sold. There are likely to be a number of more shirts added in the upcoming playoff games – especially if the French, who have been flawless in the tournament so far, continue to be successful.
Wales and Argentina kick off the quarter-finals on Saturday (5 p.m.) in Marseille. In the evening (9 p.m.) there will be a giant duel between three-time world champions New Zealand and current world number one Ireland at the Stade de France just outside Paris. On Sunday the English will play against the surprise team from Fiji in Marseille (5 p.m.), before the indestructible Antoine Dupont will lead his French team onto the field against South Africa in the evening.