Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack France rugby XV halfback pairing against Fiji, Digi Mart USA News (Lyon, France): Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack will start together in the France team on Saturday in Lyon against Fiji, the first time the Toulouse halfback pairing has been seen in the blue jersey since a match against Ireland on March 7, 2025, a gap of 610 days. Since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the two have been paired only twice for France.
Patrick Arlettaz, who oversees France’s attack, said he was pleased to see the pairing back together. “Emotion, that’s going a bit far,” he said.
“But we are delighted to see them associated again because they are both in form. They have been very competitive since the end of last season.” He added that the duo is an important asset for the France team, while noting disappointment that Matthieu Jalibert is unavailable.
Arlettaz said selection is driven by current form and individual performances rather than by a preferred pairing. He pointed to the squad’s depth at halfback, including Maxime Lucu, Dupont, Jalibert, Ntamack and Thomas Ramos, and said injuries often leave little room for choice.
Asked whether Dupont appeared below his best during the recent Six Nations, Arlettaz said he was physically much better. “He is refreshed and in full possession of his physical capacities,” he said.
He noted that the tournament had been rushed: Dupont was recovering from a serious injury and had played very few matches to prepare, which may have affected him. Arlettaz said Dupont is now at 100 percent physically and, technically, remains above any other player.
On the Fiji match, Arlettaz recalled that Fiji beat France 34-21 in Bordeaux a year earlier and said the visitors posed problems in midfield, on the wings and in defence, including the early loss of Pierre-Louis Barassi and Émilien Gailleton. He said France lost control after leading 21-0 and must win the small individual battles and keep the contest collective.
Many Fijian players compete in the Top 14, which adds motivation on both sides.
Arlettaz said the match will not be treated as a warm-up for the Springboks game six days later at the Stade de France, insisting that beating Fiji is a difficult priority if France wants to remain top of the North Conference. He also said the new Nations Championship, which has a ranking rather than being a simple tour, has increased player interest and competitive motivation.
