?The captain of France’s national rugby team wants to return to the team after surgery for a broken jaw before the end of the home World Cup.
The French national team will get their captain and playmaker Antoine Dupont back “in a few days”. The 26-year-old had suffered a broken jaw and was operated on in Toulouse on Friday.
The exact date of his return is still unknown.
“He will be able to return to the French team in a process of gradual resumption and under medical supervision,” the French Rugby Union announced.
France’s team will not play against Italy for another fortnight at the home World Cup.
“Struck, but not sunk”
Touché mais pas coulé. Show must go on ⚔️. Hâte de retrouver le groupe ⏳
Merci pour vos messages pic.twitter.com/KCJYJp3Fit— (@Dupont9A) September 23, 2023
“Hit, but not down. Show must go on. I look forward to seeing the group again,” Dupont posted on his social networks. He also thanked everyone for the many messages and get-well wishes.
In Aix-en-Provence, where Les Bleus are based until their game against Italy on October 6, is feeling optimistic after the news. “If we reach the final stages of the World Cup, I would be very surprised if he wasn’t available for the quarter-finals or semi-finals,” wrote defence coach Shaun Edwards in his column for the Daily Mail. Most of his teammates, who are spending the weekend with their families, have posted messages on their social networks to support their captain, “Toto”.
Johan Deysel – the player from Namibia who caused the captain’s injury – apologized to Antoine Dupont: “It’s clear that I didn’t mean to hurt him. It