France vs Fiji rugby match and Fabien Galthié on preparing for South Africa, Digi Mart USA News: Head coach Fabien Galthié spoke to Rugbyrama after France’s victory over Fiji, saying the team had six days to prepare for a challenge he described as “unimaginable” against South Africa. The match marked a return to action for several players, including Antoine Dupont, who had not played since mid-March, while others had been out since mid-July.
France secured a five-point win, taking them to 17 points in the competition and to the top of their pool with two matches remaining. Galthié said the result gave the team useful points to analyze and areas to improve, while also giving the side an offensive bonus.
Romain Ntamack left the field with a shoulder injury and was taken to hospital for further examinations. Galthié said the shoulder had dislocated and was put back in place on the field, but he could not provide more detail at this stage.
Maxime Lucu came on at fly-half after Ntamack’s injury and, with Dupont, controlled and animated the game with both hand and boot. Galthié said the pair had played calmly and effectively, and noted that France had also been without Mathieu Jalibert, Thomas Ramos and Antoine Hastoy on the tour.
Galthié acknowledged that the team was not fully satisfied with its collective performance, saying the side had at times been hesitant or overly scripted. He praised the defense, which conceded only three points until the 66th minute, while regretting two tries conceded late in the match.
Looking ahead, Galthié said South Africa arrive as the world’s number one side and reigning world champions, on a 13-match winning run. He said the squad would prepare over the next six days to deliver a performance no one expects.
