France seeks payback against Springboks and All Blacks face Lions-packed Scotland

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Two years has not been long enough for France's scars to heal from losing in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals.

A titanic tussle with South Africa became an instant classic in a heaving Stade de France. The Springboks edged it 29-28 and went on to win the trophy that the French thought was finally going to be theirs. They'd cherished home advantage, won their previous 18 home games, and talismanic captain Antoine Dupont was cleared to play with a broken cheekbone.

“It was our World Cup and they came and stole it off us. It was such a great game,” scrumhalf Maxime Lucu told European Professional Club Rugby this week. “We can't wait to take them on. They're back-to-back world champions. Everything's set up perfectly for a great game.”

France owns the Six Nations title and the party-pooping Springboks are the back-to-back Rugby Championship winners, and back in Paris on Saturday for the first time since 2023. The Boks have 11 survivors and France seven.

Springboks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach started in the quarterfinal and starts again on Saturday, just months after finishing five years in France playing for Montpellier. He understands the French.

“Their culture is very emotional,” Reinach said. “With 2023 and all of the history behind us now the emotion is going to be there, and the French with emotion are dangerous. It is something we have to stop, and stop early.”

The Boks do it more often than not. France has beaten South Africa only once in 16 years and not in Paris in 20 years. To Fabien Galthié, coaching France since 2019, these Springboks are the biggest test on his watch: “We've never played a team this strong.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand's 120-year unbeaten record against Scotland is on the line at Murrayfield. New Zealand is on a Grand Slam tour and Scotland has been the scene of eight attempts at a clean sweep dating to 1906, including Wilson Whineray's 1964 All Blacks.

England hosts Fiji, Ireland welcomes Japan, and Italy tackles Australia in Udine for the first time since the historic first win over the Wallabies in 2022 that cost Dave Rennie his job.

On Sunday, Wales face Argentina unburdened by an 18-match losing streak that ended in July in Japan.

After thrashing Japan 61-7, South Africa brought in props Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit, forwards Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit and fullback Damian Willemse. Captain Siya Kolisi plays his 100th test.

France has dropped No. 8 Gregory Alldritt for the 12-cap Mickaël Guillard. Props Baptiste Erdocio and Régis Montagne win only their third caps with backup from World Cup players Jean-Baptiste Gros and Dorian Aldegheri. Dupont, recovering from a torn ACL, has been in camp and giving advice.

New Zealand has promoted Leicester Fainga'anuku, Wallace Sititi and Josh Lord off the bench and picked Billy Proctor in the reserves ahead of Rieko Ioane and Anton Lienert-Brown.

With the international window reopened, Scotland has made 11 changes to the side which drop-kicked the United States 85-0 and picked 11 Lions but dumped record try-scoring winger Duhan van der Merwe for Kyle Steyn.

England has given the steering wheel to Fin Smith and slotted Marcus Smith at fullback after Freddie Steward injured a hand in the 25-7 win over Australia. Center Ollie Lawrence plays his first test since a ruptured Achilles tendon in March. Ellis Genge captains while regular skipper Maro Itoje is on the bench for the first time since 2017.

Coach Mick Byrne gauges Fiji's energy by how much noise the players make after a really hard training. On Thursday, “It was really loud.” Caleb Muntz directed Fiji's upset win at Twickenham in 2023 and was back at flyhalf.

Munster center Tom Farrell will become the oldest back to debut for Ireland in the professional era. “He's at the ripe old age of 32 but playing his best rugby and 100% deserves a shot,” Ireland coach Andy Farrell said. Tadhg Beirne is starting after his red card against the All Blacks was overturned because a judiciary decided his shoulder-to-head contact "did not meet the red card threshold."

Japan has rested No. 8 Michael Leitch, lock Jack Cornelsen and scrumhalf Shinobu Fujiwara after the heavy loss to South Africa and picked Faulua Makisi, Epineri Uluiviti and Naoto Saito.

Australia has recalled flyhalf Carter Gordon and flanker Pete Samu for their first tests since 2023, hooker Matt Faessler, and starting flanker Tom Hooper ahead of Rob Valetini. Len Ikitau was available but being rested.

Italy is without injured back-rowers Sebastian Negri and captain Michele Lamaro and will be led by center Juan Ignacio Brex.

France's back three of Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey under the barrage of high kicks expected from South Africa.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Heralded as the next big thing, the flyhalf has been riding a dominant pack in South Africa's last four tests to show off his bag of tricks.

Fainga'anuku and Sititi. Both made a difference off the bench in the All Blacks' 26-13 win over Ireland in Chicago. Fainga'anuku has returned from France's Toulon wiser and more physical. Sititi, last year's world breakthrough player, has overcome a year disrupted by right knee surgery and a high ankle injury.

South Africa loosehead prop Ox Nche and New Zealand midfielder Jordie Barrett have returned home after both damaged their ankle and knee last weekend.

Italy captain Michele Lamaro suffered a right thigh injury in training and has returned to his Treviso club to rehab.

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett is taking a non-playing sabbatical after this month. His Crusaders club confirmed the news in announcing their 2026 Super Rugby squad.

Sabbaticals are granted to veteran All Blacks, and Barrett's brother Jordie used his to play at Leinster last season. Rieko Ioane is joining Leinster after the current tour.

But 31-year-old Scott will have a break from playing and confirm later when he intends to return. The All Blacks tour South Africa in August. Scott isn't facing Scotland on Saturday; he was ruled out by a gashed leg that needed 12 stitches, suffered in the win against Ireland in Chicago.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby