Antoine Dupont lined up at the opening to solve Fabien Galthié's puzzle before facing South Africa

One position, four usual candidates on the side and an unexpected solution to say the least. Decimated at the opening, the XV of France will have to reinvent itself to challenge South Africa, Friday evening at the Stade de France (9:10 p.m.). Deprived of his main specialists in the position, Fabien Galthié chose to entrust number 10 to his captain Antoine Dupont, associated with Maxime Lucu at the hinge. A daring bet, but also the symbol of a French team forced to tinker after a series of hard blows. The composition, unveiled Wednesday November 11 in Marcoussis, also reserves two strong returns: those of Grégory Alldritt and Julien Marchand.

A solution had to be found. And Fabien Galthié was no longer really spoiled for choice. The injury to Romain Ntamack, victim of a dislocation of the left shoulder in the 34th minute against Fiji (54-17), Saturday in Lyon, was added to the packages of Matthieu Jalibert, Thomas Ramos and Antoine Hastoy. Four potential openers unavailable: the massacre is spectacular.

Dupont rather than Lucu

While Maxime Lucu seemed to hold the rope after occupying the position for 46 minutes against Fiji, the coach finally decided to move Antoine Dupont to the opening position. The Toulouse scrum half, captain of the Blues, will therefore wear number 10 against the double South African world champions. A bold choice for a player who has only started in this position eight times at club level, the last time on March 30, 2024 against Pau, in the Top 14.

Maxime Lucu will return to his favorite position behind the scrum. The two men already know music, even if their association at the hinge remains rare under the blue jersey. They were notably brought together for twelve minutes against Italy, during the 2025 Six Nations tournament, with Dupont then sliding in at the opening to replace Ramos. This time, the tandem will have much more responsibilities. And quite a challenge to take up against the South African power.

Alldritt and Marchand, two strong reinforcements

Another lesson from this composition: the return of Grégory Alldritt to the starting fifteen. The third line from La Rochelle, absent from the selection since November 22, 2025 and a victory against Australia (48-33), finds the Blues in a particularly favorable context. His good start to the club season and the numerous absences in the sector opened the door for him. Oscar Jegou and Anthony Jelonch are notably unavailable, while the withdrawal of his teammate Paul Boudehent has also reshuffled the cards.

His return leads to a readjustment of the third line: François Cros leaves the number 8 position to find that of flanker, while Cameron Woki retains his place in the third line. Finally, Julien Marchand finds himself back in the starting XV, at the expense of Gaëtan Lamothe, who comes off the scoresheet. Peato Mauvaka remains on the bench. A choice which is also a matter of tactical logic. With his 49 selections, his experience and his particularly powerful profile in combat zones, the Toulouse player represents an additional weapon to compete with the Springboks. For his part, the young three-quarter Pau Axel Desperès (22 years old) will experience his first cape with the XV of France.

Between a recomposed hinge, the return of experienced executives and the absences which continue to accumulate, the Blues approach this meeting with a particularly delicate equation to resolve. Facing South Africa, particularly formidable in Italy the previous weekend (66-7), it will take much more than talent to dream of an exploit: adaptation and a hell of a dose of solidarity.