Dupont injury looming large as France wait for "specialist surgical opinion"

Host nation France maintained their unbeaten start at Rugby World Cup 2023 with a 96-0 win against Namibia at Stade de Marseille yesterday but it came a cost as captain and scrum-half Antoine Dupont was forced to leave the field early in the second half following a head clash with Namibia captain Johan Deysel. 

After the game, Galthié said "There's a suspicion of a crack or fracture in his jaw," but they had to wait for confirmation as the skipper had gone for tests. 

Earlier today, Toulouse president Didier Lacroix spoke on the matter and did not sound positive at all about Duponts' medical state. 

Following Head coach Fabien Galthie's visit to Dupont in hospital in Aix-en-Provence, the FFR confirmed that Dupont has suffered a maxillo-zygomatic fracture but they will wait for a "specialist surgical opinion" before announcing the duration of his unavailability

As it stands Dupont is still in the squad and no further announcements have been made.

All of France and rugby fans around the globe will be desperately hoping that the Toulouse superstar can defy the odds and overcome this unfortunate facial injury in time to be available for a semi-final in Paris on October 21 - providing France have managed to overcome either South Africa or Ireland, without him, in the last eight.