South Africa back-rower Jasper Wiese said he is
wary of a “hurt” France eyeing revenge in this Saturday’s Autumn Nations
Series game in Paris.
The last time the sides met, the Springboks knocked out hosts Les Bleus in
the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on the way to their fourth
crown.
Watch every second of the 2025 Autumn Nations Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
“I think it was genuine hurt after the World Cup, so I think we can expect
them to be very emotional and very up for this game,” Wiese told reporters.
“If there’s one game that we’re going to have to be up for, it’s going to
be this game.”
Wiese, 30, was an unused member of the squad for the 29-28 victory two
years ago, a tense affair at a sold-out Stade de France decided by the
accurate boot of Handre Pollard in the final quarter of an hour.
“I wasn’t fortunate enough to play, but I was in the stands and the thing I
can remember was the crowd was very loud and they started well,” Wiese said.
“There were massive moments in that game that shifted the game for us, but
at the end we got through it and I think that was a very, very big one for
us.”
In the opposition camp, France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec said on
Wednesday said he was grateful for the presence of injured superstar Antoine
Dupont in training before this weekend’s game.
Dupont is still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in March but
has been present with Les Bleus’ squad in the build-up to Saturday’s Autumn
Nations Series encounter in Paris.
The 28-year-old Olympic champion is set to return playing next month with
his club Toulouse, after France play the Springboks, Fiji and Australia.
Le Garrec, 23, is expected to start instead of Dupont at half-back with
Maxime Lucu on the bench in a re-run of the 2023 Rugby World Cup
quarter-final, won by the Springboks on the way to their fourth title.
“If it’s Antoine or even Max Lucu, we discuss a lot off the field in
general,” Le Garrec told reporters.
“It’s always good advice from Antoine and Max.
With all of their qualities, they help me a lot.”
La Rochelle’s Le Garrec is set to be joined at half-back by Dupont’s club
team-mate Romain Ntamack, as they start an international together for the
first time.
Brittany-born Le Garrec made his Test debut in 2024, having trained with
the squad more than a year earlier alongside the experienced Ntamack.
Romain Ntamack is set to line up against the Springboks this weekend in Paris. Source: AFP
“It’s great to play alongside Romain,” Le Garrec said.
“We have the same vision of the game.
We try experience things fully to help the team play as well as possible.”
Dupont’s absence also leaves a gap in the captaincy role, with Racing 92
centre Gael Fickou in line to skipper the side.
Fickou, 31, will lead the Six Nations champions on his 97th international
appearance, as he did during July’s tour of New Zealand.
“He has incredible experience,” Le Garrec said of his former Racing
team-mate.
“He’s experienced it all with France, the highs and the lows.
He’s very consistent and stable.
It’s great that he gets the chance to captain the team.”
The meeting at the Stade de France offers Fabien Galthie’s side a revenge
for the loss two years ago, which denied them a shot at glory on home soil.
Le Garrec was not selected for the World Cup, while Ntamack missed the
tournament with a knee injury.
“We weren’t involved in the quarter-final, but I think it was traumatic for
more than the matchday 23,” Ntamack told reporters.
“I think since then we’ve moved on.
We’re focused on this match in 2025, and we hope to start our November
campaign well.”
