By Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Sports journalist
Author of a huge Top 14 – Champions Cup double last year, Antoine Dupont was also crowned Olympic Rugby sevens champion this summer. Despite this, former All-Blacks glory Joe Rokocoko refuses to get too excited about it.
At only 27 years old, he has a track record that would make many of his most illustrious elders pale in comparison. Antoine Dupont has further expanded it in recent months, adding two new French and European championship titles… as well as an Olympic gold medal in rugby sevens. So many exploits which obviously made a big splash in the world of ovals.
The New Zealander Aaron Smith, for example, went there with his comment on X :
Aaron Smith : He's still young…And when he's done, he'll be one of the greatest to ever play our sport. He is surely already one of the greatest of this generation. He changed rugby. He's not just a scrum-half, he's pure class.
Joe Rokocoko reveals his thoughts on Antoine Dupont
Thanks to his recent prowess, Dupont has further established himself as one of the best players in the history of French rugby. At the same time, he strengthened his candidacy to sooner or later be part of the discussion… of the GOAT of his sport. Does it already deserve to be there? For Joe Rokocoko, this still seems somewhat premature. The latter nevertheless sees big for himself, as he explains to At the time of Rugby :
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Joe Rokocoko : For me, he's not the GOAT yet. How do you say “baby goat” in French? (Laughs) He's heading there anyway, it seems to be his destiny. He will tell you that he is not there yet either, but in three or four years…
Failing to carry this status now, the tricolor genius can boast of having a good reputation in New Zealand and around the world according to Rokocoko:
Joe Rokocoko : We talk about him in the southern hemisphere, we know how to recognize the great players there and he is one of them. He is complete, he does things that others don't do.
But then, what is Dupont missing in order to close this historic debate for good? Titles, again and again, and in particular with the French team for the former All-Blacks winger:
Joe Rokocoko : On an individual level, he is already up to par with the greatest. And then, take Jonah Lomu: he is considered one of the greatest, he took rugby to another dimension and he was never world champion. Antoine must continue to win internationally for a few years, against all possible opponents, remain the threat he is and win the Six Nations and the Top 14.
A fine connoisseur of rugby and its history, Joe Rokocoko is reluctant about the idea of making Antoine Dupont the GOAT of his sport today. That said, he has no trouble envisioning him becoming one one day, he who is simply entering his prime.
