'We'll wait 48 or 72 hours and then we'll know more' - Antoine Dupont in doubt

Laurent Labit, assistant coach

On how the squad is coping with Antoine Dupont's injury:

"We're like everyone else. We're worried, we were happy with the match but it was a difficult evening for us. We're not making any plans too soon. A surgeon will tell us more about Antoine's availability. We'll wait another 48 or 72 hours and then we'll know more."

On how hopeful he is of seeing Antoine Dupont again at Rugby World Cup 2023:

"We''re going to give ourselves two or three days to get the opinion of a competent person who will tell us exactly what's going on. It will then be up to Antoine and the surgeon to make the decision. We can't think too far ahead.

"We have three scrum-halves, and Baptiste Couilloud made an excellent start yesterday. Maxime Lucu has been with us for a long time. We'll see. We're looking ahead to the Italy game and we'll be going there with our best team."

On Antoine Dupont's current state of mind:

"Antoine certainly imagined the worst before the first examinations. After the initial tests, Fabien [Galthié, head coach] went to see him. Today, we're just waiting for the appointment with the specialist to see what he can or can't do, and when he can return to training. That's what Antoine is focusing on at the moment."

On the squad having suffered so many injuries:

"A World Cup is a long journey. The players prepared for a lot of injuries. That's inherent in our sport. In our minds, Antoine hasn't finished the competition yet. We're hoping for good news in the next three days. He's still in hospital, but he'll be discharged later today to recuperate and see the specialist."

On whether Maxime Lucu will inevitably replace Antoine Dupont, given his experience:

"We have three days to recover before looking ahead to the Italy match in a fortnight's time. We're going to do what we always do. We'll get together to decide on the best team based on the strategy we've chosen for this match. Both Baptiste and Maxime will be able to start. We'll think about it after looking at our opponents."

On whether it's worth taking the risk of playing Antoine Dupont given the exceptional nature of the event:

"Yes, it's a very important competition, almost the sporting event of a lifetime for some. It's a World Cup on home soil with a team that can claim overall victory. This is obviously a factor that should weigh heavily when the decision is made. But the final choice will depend on the surgeon and Antoine. The specialist knows who Antoine Dupont is and he's aware of what he's playing in."