France’s injured captain, Antoine Dupont, will hear on Monday whether he can play for his country when they take part in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup next weekend.
Dupont has already started training with the team, but is still waiting for the green light from the surgeon as to whether he can participate in the quarter-finals.
Dupont cracked his cheekbone when he collided head-on with Namibia’s Johan Deysel on September 21. He has since undergone an operation and rejoined the team’s training base in Aix-en-Provence for the first time this weekend.
“It went very well. He soon started with running exercises and everything seems normal,” Bruno Boussagol, the Roosters’ team doctor, said on Monday.
However, he emphasized that, until they have a medical opinion from the surgeon, Dupont will not be able to start playing rugby. “Only when we get the green light and meet all the conditions will he systematically return to the game.”
He says there will also be a discussion between Dupont and the coaches, before he starts playing again.
The French hope to use Dupont already next weekend, when they will most likely face South Africa in the quarter-finals. That is if they win for Italy this coming Friday to finish top of their group.
