Schalk Burger's central warning ahead of the Nations Championship clash in Paris is straightforward — France's injury crisis at fly-half matters far less than Dupont's return. Speaking on the Verdict show alongside Jean de Villiers and Hanyani Shimange, Burger argued that Lucu stepping into the 10 jersey is manageable, drawing parallels with Yachvili and Michalak seamlessly covering the role in an earlier era. The scrum, he conceded, is a genuine pressure point the Boks can target.
But it's Dupont that keeps Burger up at night. His read is that once France get into the opposition 22 with Dupont pulling strings, the speed and chaos of their attack becomes almost impossible to defend — citing the 2023 World Cup quarter-final maul tries as the clearest evidence. With Dupont absent for last year's meeting, this is the first time the Boks face that specific threat since that quarter-final exit. If you want a sharper breakdown of where Burger sees the decisive battlegrounds on Friday, the full piece is worth the read.