The Blues have found their leader. Antoine Dupont, absent since the famous defeat in the quarter-final of the 2023 World Cup against South Africa for an Olympic and golden seven-a-side bracket, is among his team again this week in Marcoussis. And everyone is happy to see him there for this fall tour, which will see the Blues face Japan (November 9), New Zealand (November 16) then Argentina (November 23).
Captain, and that “is not up for debate”
“He came back just as strong, if not better than before,” said his partner François Cros this Wednesday at a press conference. The 7 gave him new skills. Antoine has the intelligence, whatever the situation he is faced with, to find the flaw and the key. »
Cros has already had the opportunity to measure the benefits of Dupont’s return to 15, since they both play at Stade Toulousain. Last month, the scrum-half scored a hat-trick in 13 minutes for his first match of the season, against Clermont. And since then, he hasn’t given up.
“Antoine, today is the subject, he is the French rugby player who has achieved exceptional things,” greeted coach Fabien Galthié when announcing his list on October 29. He returned a year later, with the captaincy. We are very happy about it. »
OUR FILE XV OF FRANCE
After the interim Grégory Alldritt, captain during the last Six Nations Tournament, Dupont will recover the function which had been entrusted to him in 2021. “The question did not even arise. It was completely natural for us, confided François Cros. He was captain before leaving for 7. Knowing that today his level is the same, or even better, there was no debate on that subject. »
Senegal
