Antoine Dupont returned. And he didn’t pretend. Author of a resounding hat-trick against Clermont, the Toulouse player left his mark on his comeback. In front of the Red and Black supporters, the scrum half reminded everyone why he is considered the best player in the world.
A performance that makes us wonder if he isn’t even stronger? David Mélé, skills coach at Stade Toulousain, has his opinion on the question. For the latter, Antoine’s move to rugby sevens played a crucial role in his progress.
Antoine learned a lot to sequence tasks quickly.
“If there is one area where he has evolved a lot, it’s in the rucks. At 7, they have to be impeccable and fast,” explains the coach via Midi Olympique. Indeed, the demands of rugby sevens have forced Dupont to sharpen his skills, particularly in offensive support, where his ability to be in the right place at the right time is now formidable.
But that’s not all. The scrum half’s speed has also taken a boost. “Antoine learned a lot to sequence tasks quickly. Without forgetting his progress, again, on speed”, continues Mélé. Seeing him move and weigh so quickly in the game only confirmed his status as a leader. With every touch of the ball, Dupont is an immediate threat to the opponent, and he seems capable of creating gaps anywhere.
Dupont, much more than an X factor
More than just a player, Dupont is a real driving force for his teammates. “Antoine gives everyone around a little boost”affirms Mélé via L’Equipe, referring to this unique ability to seize opportunities from the first ball. While others hesitate to break out of established patterns, he does not hesitate to follow his instinct to create decisive actions.
We saw the difference with Naoto Saito in the first half. “Naoto had a good match, but we know that Antoine is a threat. He concentrates the defenders a lot. » Upon his return, Dupont monopolized the attention, forcing Clermont to adapt his defensive game. Result: three tries and an immediate impact on Toulouse’s collective game.
In short, Dupont remains Dupont. If Stade Toulousain still has work to do to regain automatisms, his presence alone galvanizes the team. For his teammates, for the supporters, and for everyone around, Antoine’s return is a precious asset. And as Mélé says, “we are very happy that he came back with us”. No doubt, the chef is back.
