France put faith in Dupont return

FRANCE are preparing for a game of "rare intensity" and simmering violence as Antoine Dupont returns to captain the hosts against South Africa just 24 days after fracturing his jaw.

- TOM BRADSHAW

The talk from both camps in the countdown to this evening's rumble at the Stade de France has been of the seismic battle that awaits and one man with a vested interest in the contest expects to feel the tremors from hundreds of miles away in the English West Country.

Johann van Graan, Bath's head of rugby, was the Springboks' forwards coach for five years until 2017. He expects the match to be an arm-wrestle, with the most muscular - yet disciplined - side prevailing.

"In terms of that for wards battle, I think it could be a classic knockout game," van Graan told The Rugby Paper.

"It could come down to scrum penalties here, maul penalties there, and jackal chances will be massively important.

"You're going to see some of the biggest forwards in world rugby on that pitch.

"One thing the Springboks have is experience.