France have received a huge boost ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against South Africa with the news star scrum-half Antoine Dupont has been passed fit to resume training.
Dupont broke his cheekbone against Namibia on Sept. 21. The injury required surgery, but the French Rugby Federation confirmed Monday that following a meeting with his surgeon Frederic Lauwers, he has been given the green light to resume playing rugby.
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It remains to be seen if France fast-track Dupont back into the side for Sunday’s knockout match against the Springboks in Paris.
Speaking last week, their team manager Bruno Boussagol said they would take every precaution against rushing back their captain.
“If he gets the green light to play with contact again we will resume gradually and then we will need to see how the players react, if he’s 100% fit and if he has any apprehension,” Boussagol said last Tuesday.
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“Finally, the coaches will decide. It is not because he is on the [training] pitch that he will play the game.”
Without Dupont, France topped Pool A with Maxime Lucu deputising for Dupont. Elsewhere, France are still monitoring Julien Marchand’s fitness as he recovers from a thigh injury.