Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack return to France rugby halfback pairing, Digi Mart USA News: Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont will start together for France when Fabien Galthié sends them out against Fiji on Saturday, during the November matches of the new Nations Championship. It is the first time the Bleus have fielded the pairing in more than a year and a half.
The Dupont-Ntamack halfback partnership is the most used in the history of the French national team, with 29 appearances. Both Toulouse players have been hampered by repeated injuries, but they have been regularly selected for their club in the current season, which the report describes as a good sign ahead of four upcoming matches.
The Bleus are also set to face South Africa and Argentina before the finals in London. The last match for the Dupont-Ntamack pairing dates back to March 7, 2025, the fourth round of the Six Nations in Ireland, where captain Antoine Dupont, who has 64 caps, suffered a serious knee injury.
On his return to the national team during the 2026 Six Nations, Romain Ntamack, who has 45 caps, was injured. In July, Dupont again had to withdraw, this time with a calf problem.
Despite these setbacks, France finished the first phase of the Nations Championship at the top of the northern pool, which includes the six teams from the Six Nations. They lost 34-32 to New Zealand and then won twice, 42-26 in Australia and 42-15 in Japan.
France team against Fiji: Attissogbe, Grandidier-Nkanang, Gourgues, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Ntamack (fly-half), Dupont (scrum-half, captain); Woki, Cros, Boudehent; Guillard, Verhaeghe; Falatea, Lamothe, Gros. Replacements: Mauvaka, Poirot, Montagne, Ollivon, Staniforth, Capilla, Lucu, Gailleton.
