France aims for another step toward Rugby World Cup destiny. Fiji faces its own great expectations

PARIS (AP) — France lost seven straight tests to South Africa from 2010 to 2018, which might have been the reason current coach Fabien Galthie traveled to the home of the Springboks after taking over in 2019.

Galthie wasn't looking for technical information, but rather a more holistic understanding of what motivated the Springboks when they ran onto a rugby field. He found something.

“They’re a team that inspire us, that we’ve followed a lot,” Galthie said. “They talk a lot about nation, about uniting the country. We love how they carry the symbol of their country. I learned a lot about their country and their culture over there.”

There's no telling how much Galthie's effort to gain insight into what makes the world champion Springboks tick helped France end that losing run against them last November. But it can't have hurt.

In a tight and at times brutal game that had a red card for each side, Galthie's France stood up and won 30-26. It was a turning point in France-South Africa contests and is the source of deep French belief ahead of Sunday's Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against the Springboks in Paris.

Sunday's other quarterfinal is also framed largely by a significant last meeting between the teams. Fiji beat England for the first time ever in a warmup game in August, setting a clear precedent for a Fijian repeat this weekend in Marseille that would make Rugby World Cup history with a Pacific Island nation in the semifinals for the first time.

FRANCE vs. SOUTH AFRICA (South Africa leads 27-6-12 overall, 1-0 in RWC)

France and South Africa met only once previously at a Rugby World Cup, a 1995 semifinal in South Africa that was memorable for a torrential rain storm in Durban that threatened to see the game called off. It went ahead, South Africa won 19-15 and went on to lift its first World Cup. Lost in history is France forward Abdelatif Benazzi's late try that wasn't awarded, and which might have changed everything.

France, without a World Cup title and with losses in finals in 1987, 1999 and 2011, is now at its home World Cup. South Africa is the potential spoiler at Stade de France.

An opening-game win over New Zealand began a run of four straight France victories at this World Cup, where the hosts have the leading tryscorer in lethal wing Damian Penaud, the leading point-scorer in fullback Thomas Ramos, and — in the ultimate boost — their captain and the best player in the world back in their ranks for the quarterfinal.

Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont won his race to recover from surgery for a broken cheekbone sustained in a game against Namibia three weeks ago. He has never lost a test at home, including that last game against the Springboks, when he was the French player sent off.

A ream of statistics say this is one of the most experienced Springboks teams ever. The eight starting forwards all played some part in the victory in the 2019 final, their combined 623 test caps are the most by a South African forward pack, and the starting 15's 880 caps are the second-most for a South Africa team.

All eight forwards and 10 of the 15 are in their 30s, though, and this is an era-ending tournament for a Springboks generation and squad that was built specifically to peak at this World Cup.

ENGLAND vs. FIJI (England leads 7-1 overall, 2-0 in RWC)

Fiji was here 16 years ago. Same tournament, same country, same stage, same stadium, even. The Fijians return to Stade Velodrome in Marseille for their first Rugby World Cup quarterfinal since Marseille in 2007. Fiji is still trying to make a first semifinal.

What has changed greatly is expectation.

For the first time at a Rugby World Cup, Fiji's progression to the knockout stage against England is not just a bonus. It's a realistic chance for more from one of rugby's most popular teams.

Evidence of Fiji's improvement came in that pre-World Cup victory over the English at Twickenham. Fiji ran Wales ragged in the pool stage in France in an agonizing loss and lifted itself to beat two-time champion Australia a week later. There's also been evidence of what expectation can do as a highly favored Fiji struggled to break down Georgia and then was on the receiving end of a stunning upset in its last pool game against Portugal.

Wing Semi Radradra and fullback Ilaisa Droasese have returned to the lineup for the quarterfinal, giving Fiji back two of its gamebreakers. Coach Simon Raiwalui's overriding message has been about pushing aside the pressure to perform and embracing the old Fiji way.

“We have worked at freeing ourselves up and enjoying the occasion,” Raiwalui said.

What England might offer is anyone's guess considering it is possibly the most confounding team at the Rugby World Cup. The 30-22 loss to Fiji two months ago was England's fifth in six games, leading everyone to conclude Steve Borthwick's team wouldn't go far at the World Cup.

What followed was four straight wins in the pool stage and England — helped, maybe, by that learning curve of pre-World Cup losses — is expected to be in the semifinals. England had moved on from those low points, captain Owen Farrell said.

“That feels like a long time ago," Farrell said. ”That’s not to say there’s not lessons to be learnt from it."

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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby