Bok captain Siya Kolisi respectful of fired-up France ahead of Nations Championship clash

Both teams wrapped up their training on Thursday for the clash with their traditional captains' run, and Kolisi faced a barrage of questions about the surprise selection of Dupont at flyhalf after the team had been hit by an injury crisis in the position.

Kolisi said he wasn't surprised about Dupont's selection: "He's played there before for his club, and he played very well. He can play almost anywhere on the field and he's a good enough player to do it. No one wants injuries, but every team goes through them, and players end up covering other positions, so it's normal in rugby."

The Bok captain was unfazed by how France's halfback combination, where Dupont will be joined by Maxime Lucu, would affect the match, especially on defence.

"Our system doesn't change for any team we play against," added the double World Cup-winning captain.

"We've watched clips and seen how they play, and we've watched how he plays at flyhalf too, so we haven't done anything special for him individually because he's playing at No 10.

"Maxime Lucu has also played flyhalf for Bordeaux, so it will happen naturally for them to swap. Antoine wants to be on the ball a lot and he creates a lot of play on the field, so for him to go to scrumhalf will also be natural, and they'll be able to adjust. That said, our system is prepared for that, so it doesn't matter who we're playing against."

Kolisi shot down suggestions that the team's one-point victory against France in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal could give the team a mental edge going into this encounter.

"No, we take every game as it comes - what happened then is history," said Kolisi.

"We've changed the group and a little bit in the way we play, so we don't get stuck on things that have happened before. This is a new game and a new opportunity. There are a few guys who haven't played here before, so it's a new challenge."

"We're not stuck on what happened, but we also haven't forgotten how they must feel, and we've been there ourselves. We've played against teams that have beaten us in the past, but you take what you've learned, and you move forward to the next game."

Zoning in on what they are expecting at Stade de France, Kolisi is prepared for fireworks both on and off the field.

"The atmosphere is beautiful with the setup, the anthems, and the theatre-like atmosphere," he continued.

"I remember playing here last year and how passionate the crowd gets. French people love their rugby, just like South Africans, and they get behind their team. But once that's all finished and you step onto the field, all of that is gone. It's just you and the guy opposite you, and that's all that matters.

"There's also the physical side. We know the French pride themselves on their set pieces and getting over the advantage line, but we pride ourselves on that too, so we know exactly what's required of us and what our standards are, and that's all the coaches are asking for."