France is poised to recall their premium players for their third Pool A match against Namibia, with the aim of regaining their form after a lackluster performance against Uruguay. Les Bleus had a strong start to their Rugby World Cup campaign, securing a 27-13 victory against New Zealand. However, their reserve side disappointed as they narrowly defeated Uruguay 27-12 six days later.
The upcoming match against Namibia in Bordeaux is expected to see the return of key players, including scrumhalf Antoine Dupont and flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert, among others, to the starting lineup. Prop Cyril Baille, returning from injury, and centre Jonathan Danty are also likely to feature in the lineup, with Yoram Moefana having struggled against New Zealand and Uruguay.
With a two-week gap between the Namibia game and their final Pool A clash against Italy, France intends to field their premium team against Namibia to ensure they remain match-ready and do not go a month without competitive play.
Matthieu Jalibert expressed the team’s eagerness to play, emphasizing the importance of gaining game time, regaining rhythm, and building cohesion within the squad. He stated, “The important thing is to get some game time, get back into our rhythm and work on our cohesion. There’s no need for me to take it easy; I’m happy to be able to play, I need some rhythm, I need to find my bearings with the team.”
Centre Gael Fickou echoed Jalibert’s sentiments, emphasizing the value of playing more matches to improve their performance.
While New Zealand had convincingly defeated Namibia 71-3, France aims to follow its own path and not be drawn into comparisons with the three-time world champions. Jalibert stressed that their focus is on playing a complete match, excelling in both attack and defense, with the goal of replicating their performance against New Zealand and continuing their World Cup journey on a positive note.
