More than a year after his last match with the French XV, the disappointing elimination in the quarter-final of the World Cup against South Africa, Antoine Dupont makes his return on Saturday against Japan to the delight of his partners.
The scrum half not only regained his No.9 but also the captaincy, and almost no player in the group has escaped the question of his contribution since the start of the gathering at the Marcoussis training center.
The reappearance of « Toto » Dupont within the Blues was expected because without him the team stammered its game during the 2024 Six Nations Tournament, finishing in a happy second place after a start to the competition far from the standards of recent years.
Conversely, he shone at VII, winning the World Series title and Olympic gold in a few weeks during the summer. He was thus able to exorcise the demons from the Stade de France, venue of the quarter-final lost to the Springboks and which Fabien Galthié's men have still not found in 2024.
His XV record was also enhanced with a new championship-European Cup double for his club Toulouse, where his role was preponderant.
Having achieved the Grand Slam in 2022 with the Blues and having been voted best player of the year several times, one last trophy resists him: the World Cup. Enough to keep him motivated for the next three years.
“I still have goals to achieve. From the moment I was on the pitch, it was hard for me to comprehend the fact that I was not very good”he also assured at a press conference on Friday.
The captain of the French rugby team Antoine Dupont (center, number 9) with several of his teammates during a training session before a match against Japan at the Stade de France on November 8, 2024. / Anne- Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
“He came back as strong, if not better, than he was before”estimated third row François Cros, who plays with him at Stade Toulouse. “He saw a new rugby with new skills that he was able to develop and I think Antoine has the intelligence to arrive whatever the situation, to find the fault, that’s his big strong point”.
Japan coach Eddie Jones admits “it’s a permanent threat”. “We have to give him very little space. »
Freshness
Antoine Dupont also arrives with great freshness in Marcoussis. Having gone on vacation after the Games events, he returned to competition more than a month after the other players with thirty minutes during Toulouse-Clermont on October 12, before continuing against Pau and Toulon.
Antoine Dupont (center) during a training session before a test match against Japan at the Stade de France on November 8, 2024. / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
And his hat-trick against the Auvergnats or his blind pass leading to a try against Pau have already shown that he had not lost any bearings.
“I'm not going to break open doors, I think we all know him (…) He's an excellent player”also summarized Laurent Sempéré, one of the assistants of coach Fabien Galthié. Before extending his remarks on his influence off the field: “It’s true that in group life, he brings serenity (…) He accelerates the situation by uniting people around him”.
Captain of the Blues for the first time in November 2021, Dupont left the role to Gregory Alldritt during his absence. The staff waited until the first day of the rally to confirm that they would regain this status, which they also have at the Stade Toulouse.
“It was an easy choice. Antoine is of the caliber of great players, he is respected by all the guys in the group. He is a true leader”explains second row Emmanuel Meafou.
Antoine Dupont assures him “there are quite a few experienced players who are leaders or captains at the club too, and who have very important roles in the team so I don’t feel at all lonely in this role” of captain.
