France duo Antoine Dupont and Damian Penaud fit for Wales quarter-final as Guilhem Guirado returns

Antoine Dupont (R) and Guilhem Guirado (C) will both start for France against Wales in Oita
AFP via Getty Images
George Flood18 October 2019

France pair Antoine Dupont and Damian Penaud have both been passed fit for the World Cup quarter-final meeting with Wales in Oita.

Scrum-half Dupont has been struggling with a back issue that limited him in training this week, while versatile back Penaud picked up a lower stomach strain.

However, both men will start Sunday's last-eight contest, with Dupont paired with Romain Ntamack at half-back and Penaud picked on the right wing.

Captain Guilhem Guirado - despite reports of a rift in camp - also returns at hooker as one of five changes made by head coach Jacques Brunel to the team that held off Tonga in Kumamoto on October 6, with Camille Chat dropping to the bench.

In Pictures | France vs Tonga, Rugby World Cup | 06/10/2019

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Baptiste Serin makes way for Dupont, while Gael Fickou and Yoann Huget replace Sofiane Guitoune and Alivereti Raka, neither of whom make the matchday squad.

In the second row, Bernard Le Roux gets the nod over Paul Gabrillagues.

Three-time World Cup runners-up France, who have not played for almost two weeks after their final Pool C clash with England was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis, have lost seven of their last eight matches against Wales, including a 24-19 defeat in the Six Nations in February.

On that occasion, France inexplicably squandered a 16-0 half-time lead on opening night against the eventual Grand Slam champions in Paris.

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