Springboks to play under South African flag after escaping anti-doping embarrassment

South Africa have avoided the prospect of playing their World Cup quarterfinal match against France on Sunday with a ban on displaying the national flag and playing their national anthem due to their government’s noncompliance with the new World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code.

The ban was due to come into effect on Saturday unless the Springboks submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), which they have now completed.

The appeal’s aim was to “delay” the effects of Wada’s decision and spare the country a major embarrassment. Speaking in Paris, South African director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he was pleased the issue had been resolved and that his team faced no sanctions ahead of meeting France in Stade de France.

“Obviously it’s ideal now,” said Erasmus. “All of those [issues] are suspended for a while. We can just concentrate on playing for South Africa. It’s also confirmed that they are wearing a normal green ‘Bok jersey so…yeah even if it went the other way the boys would totally focus on the match and whatever happened we knew we were going to represent South Africa. We’re happy that it’s sorted out.”

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In the biggest World Cup match to date, a knockout meeting between the defending champions and the hosts, Erasmus expects French captain Antoine Dupont to feature. Dupont suffered a nasty facial fracture in a collision during France’s win over Namibia in the pool stages.

He has since come back into the French camp and has been participating in light team training sessions at their Paris base at Rueil-Malmaison.

“It’s been three weeks since his clearing and I’ve no doubt that he will play and he’ll be a big challenge for us,” said Erasmus. “I think lack of fitness won’t be a problem. I think I’ve actually never seen him sweat on the field. He’s so emotionless when he plays and he always looks so in control. Obviously he’s the captain and the whole of France, the whole world has respect for him.

“And the next thing is he can run and he’s definitely not a guy who’s afraid to tackle. He’s kicking still, passing still and I’m sure when he goes into a Test match he will do his tackles.”

In a French press conference later on Tuesday evening, backs coach Laurent Labit said if Dupont plays, he did not expect South Africa to target him.

“No. If he is on the pitch on Sunday it will be because he is 100 per cent fit mentally and physically,” said Labit. “When he is 100 per cent it is difficult to target him individually, he is so slippery. But for us he remains just another player: he is an important player but we have others who will need to be watched by the Springboks.”

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More comfortable talking about France than his own team, Erasmus said the Springbok matchday 23 will not be made public until Friday. Shrugging off the convention of Thursday announcements, the irascible former Munster coach said there were several reasons for doing so and knowing who France intend to lineout against them is one.

“Definitely, [it’s] without a doubt tactical,” he said. “We have been mixing and matching for the last year just making sure every single position we are going to have somebody that is just as good or we are not even sure who is the best. We are keeping our options open for a 7-1, 6-2 or 5-3 split. I think we will have everyone available, and we will see what the French team looks like. That will have further influence on us going 7-1 or 6-2.”

Huge local interest in the game comes after figures were released on Tuesday with broadcast ratings in France reflecting the rugby buzz sweeping the nation with a total cumulative audience of more than 164.5 million. That figure already exceeds the total French audience for the 2019 Rugby World Cup with matches involving the host nation unsurprisingly rated the most viewed programs of 2023 on French channel TF1.

With defense coach Shaun Edwards giving France bite and edge and having beaten the Springboks 30-26 in Marseille last November, Erasmus knows they face a talented but hardened side with less dramatic emotional swings. His Wigan mien has imparted some northern chill.

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“Wherever Shaun coaches he gives a passion to the team for defence,” said Erasmus. “I’ve been in World Rugby meetings and we break up into little groups and he’s a very interesting character when it comes to how he looks at the game.

“He’s obviously a guy, him and Andy Farrell, they come from a league background and they bring that league grunt and physicalness and big collisions into the game. And he’s got the boys to back it up because they’re massive men like the South African guys.”