“There is a lot of frustration regarding the record of this team”, the captain of the Blues talks about the Six Nations Tournament

You missed the Tournament last year, we imagine you can't wait…
Antoine Dupont : Yes of course ! I feel like it's been a long time since I last played it. The last one was a complicated tournament for the team. In front of my television, it was frustrating. So I'm happy to be in the team to prepare for this Tournament and I think we're all very excited.

What are your ambitions?
Always winning, obviously. We know that we have a big challenge to take on, a mountain to climb, but we have confidence in our potential. If we play at our best, we can win anywhere. It's going to be very hard but it's motivating. This team loves challenges.

Your teammates, we imagine, must be impatient to regain a title…
I haven't seen my teammates yet but, even without having spoken directly with them, I know yes. Over the last five years, we have finished second four times and, in the World Cup, we have been eliminated in the quarter-finals. There is a lot of frustration regarding the track record of this team when we know its potential. This frustration must be transformed into motivation.

We have to be wary of matches where we are announced as favorites. Knowing that we French are where we are the least good…

You are part of a hard core of players who have been playing together for a while. Can this experience help you?
Of course. A Tournament is always very long. There are always twists and turns, every point is important. We have this experience now to be as consistent as possible. The first two matches will say a lot.

For the first match of the Tournament (January 31), you will face Wales. A team that seems within your reach…
In fact, you have to be wary of these matches. Especially when we are told favorites. Knowing that we, French, are where we are the least good… We have this experience of knowing that we cannot relax and that there is no small match.

Can the dynamics of French clubs in the Champions Cup help you? ?
It's different but when we look at the list, there are 13 of us from Toulouse and 10 from UBB, so we have to hope that this energy pushes the team. Even if the teams and contexts will be different.

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What can you tell us about Romain Ntamack's return to the French team?
I think he's been chomping at the bit for a while. He was very disappointed not to be able to return in November. It can only do the team good to have a player of his caliber back even if Thomas (Ramos, NDLR) had some very good matches on the tour. The emulation that we have had in this team for some time has pushed us to improve. There were new players in November, rotation and it paid off. Romain is coming back, it's going to reshuffle the cards and we're happy that he's coming back, especially for him.

Tell us about this special scent when we play the Tournament…
It is the legendary competition par excellence. At European level, there is no better. We all have memories of watching matches when we were little, when we watched the Tournament on Sundays with family. It remains legendary. There is a mythical side. Having finished second four times motivates us even more to go for victory.

If he were in Toulouse, he would be even better

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Antoine Dupont, ironically about Damian Penaud

With 13 Toulouse residents in the group, there is a solid common base. This should help you…
Obviously, on the ground, automatisms return. There are also reflexes because we know each other. Now, the game project, even if it has evolved a little recently, we know it, there is a certain continuity. Beyond the same club, there are players with whom we have been playing for 4/5 years, we know each other almost by heart. I think of Damian (Penaud, Editor’s note), I know him, he knows me, we can easily find each other. But if he were in Toulouse, he might be even better (laughs).

Damian Penaud, in fact, is two tries from Serge Blanco's record with the XV of France (38). Do you think he will beat him this year?
Honestly, I hope for his sake that he beats him. He is very close to it. Especially knowing the dynamic he's on at the moment… I also hope so because it will mean that the team will have scored quite a few tries in principle. So I wish him, yes.

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On the wings, with Bielle-Biarrey and Penaud, you undoubtedly have the best in the world…
In the competition, we have two very high level weapons on each wing. We know that it is important to be pragmatic and to make our mark at the international level. What's good with them is that we can score on counterattacks, on two passes. They have different qualities but they are two great players who, in a different context since Damian is more experienced – even if Louis progresses outing after outing -, maintaining his level, which is not easy.

With Fabien Galthié, we share the same vision of rugby

What is your relationship with Fabien Galthié?
We talked a lot, especially at the start of the mandate, about the game, the approach in general to rugby or even about life outside it, the media coverage… We talked a lot about that. We know each other very well. We share the same vision of rugby. I don't have too many memories where we disagreed and that's something I can draw on.

And about his communications?
(Smile) he likes to have fun with the media, to put a few plays at a press conference but, in principle, he does it after victories (laughs) so so much the better.

You will return to Twickenham, two years after this incredible victory (10-53), what remains of this match?
It seems far away but, when we come back, the memories will bring us back. We especially have last year's match in Lyon where we were hot in the head where it didn't matter with Thomas' penalty (Ramos, NDLR) at the end. We saw what they were able to do in November. Even if they had three defeats, they played three very high level matches where it was nothing. So we know the challenge that awaits us and I think we will be well received

2025 is an odd year, that is to say with three trips for you. How do you approach it?
Like a challenge. We know it will be more complicated for us but we are capable of doing it. In 2021, in another context, we managed to win in Ireland and we narrowly lost in England. It’s a challenge that motivates us.