France eager to face world champions South Africa in Stade de France encounter

VIDEO SHOWS: FRANCE RUGBY TEAM TRAINING AT STADE DE FRANCE/ PRESS CONFERENCE WITH FRANCE CAPTAIN GAËL FICKOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE GAME AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA/ SHOWS: SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 7, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. FRANCE PLAYER ANTOINE DUPONT DURING TRAINING WITH HIS TEAM MATES 2. FRANCE RUGBY PENNANT 3. FRANCE CAPTAIN GAEL FICKOU TRAINING 4. FRANCE COACH FABEIN GALTHIE ON PITCH 5. VARIOUS OF FRANCE TEAM WARMING UP 6. FRANCE CAPTAIN GAËL FICKOU ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE CAPTAIN GAËL FICKOU ON OPPONENTS SOUTH AFRICA, SAYING: "Not sure if South Africa are stronger (than France) but in any case, they're a team that has gained a huge amount of collective experience. Naturally, they're well-established, they're performing well, they won the Four Nations (The Rugby Championship) a few months ago. So they're a very tough team to play against. Are they necessarily better? I don't know. They've been very good for quite a few years now, two-time world champions, so there's nothing to say about that. They'll be a highly competitive team tomorrow." 8. FICKOU DURING PRESS CONFERENCE 9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE CAPTAIN GAËL FICKOU ON AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS, SAYING: "All matches are important. Honestly, next week's match against Fiji will be just as important. The one against Australia in two weeks too. They're all important for building the team, for the team's development, and for gaining as many wins and as much experience as possible before the 2027 World Cup. After this one, it has a special flavour because, well, it's the Northern Hemisphere champions against the Southern Hemisphere champions. So everyone is looking forward to this match, we know it will be a match everyone is watching, and we're looking forward to it to try and play a really great match tomorrow." 10. VARIOUS OF FRANCE WARMING UP 11. VARIOUS OF GALTHIE WATCHING 12. TEAM TRAINING 13. DUPONT AT TRAINING 14. VARIOUS OF FRANCE TRAINING STORY: France will host reigning double world champions South Africa at the Stade de France on Saturday (November 8), aiming to avenge their quarter-final loss at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks edged Les Bleus 29-28 in a dramatic clash two years ago, ending French hopes of a home title. Saturday’s test match, part of the autumn international series, kicks off at 2110 local time (2010GMT) and offers the hosts a chance to reset after a mixed summer tour in New Zealand. The encounter marks a highly anticipated reunion between two of rugby’s top sides, with France looking to reassert themselves on home soil and South Africa continuing their post-World Cup dominance. (Production: Clotaire Achi, Lucien Libert)

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