why is Antoine Dupont the recurring target of South African Internet users?

«Dupont is never present in big matches”, “best player in Europe, but not in the world”, “overrated, he is afraid to come and play in the southern hemisphere”… This is what we can read recently on various X accounts (ex-Twitter) of South African supporters, about Antoine Dupont. If he is today elevated to the rank of hero in France, the Toulouse man is unfortunately far from being unanimously accepted in the nations of the south, starting with that of the rainbow.

You will have understood, it is particularly on social networks that he is subject to criticism, mockery or diatribes from Springbok supporters. The latest: a comparison, daring as well as ridiculous, of the historic year of the captain of the France team with that of Grant Williams, a young South African scrum-half, who has, so to speak, nothing completed in 2024.

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The phenomenon is all the more noticed because it is rare in the world of rugby. If certain footballers are mocked, denigrated, or even, for some, widely harassed by entire communities on social platforms, rugby players are, relatively speaking, less victims of this type of practice. But no one is fooled, talent and notoriety attract criticism. Dupont is today a star of world rugby, acclaimed by all the media, he unleashes passions, and now also the “haters”, who are having a field day.

His game, his trophies, his career, everything is constantly called into question – we wonder how – on the other side of the Equator. An approach which seems unfortunate, when we know to what extent the man is humble, talented and far from seeking to shine the spotlight. Rugby is a celebration, and its greatest artists must be celebrated, first and foremost Antoine Dupont.

The 2023 World Cup as a starting point

The supporters of the XV of France certainly still have in mind the quarter-final lost against the Springboks of Siya Kolisi in October 2023. Far from us the desire to remind you of this bad memory, but that is our point: it was born, since this dark day for French rugby, an intense rivalry between French and South Africans, which is still in full swing more than a year later, when we see Stade Toulousain, with its tricolor appearance, challenge the Durban Sharks, franchise largely composed of South African internationals. At the heart of this rivalry, where arbitration, the World Cup and resentment intertwine, Antoine Dupont has become a key element in the fight.

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Indeed, debates around the scrum half continue to flourish every week on the networks, some placing him on a pedestal, others brandishing the famous “World Cup” argument, which the French still lack, in response. Because the level reached by the Haut-Garonnais and the recognition he has on the oval planet today is certainly what irritates South African supporters the most.

When rugby fans marvel at yet another classy action from the Frenchman, others, grumpy, will find everything in their power to criticize him. Here, try the experiment: go to the account (Instagram, X…) of a major international rugby media outlet, and look for a post about Dupont. There is a good chance that you will come across some negative and unjustified comments about Toulouse.

So last summer, just after his Olympic coronation, when some ventured to include Antoine Dupont, 28, in the debate for the best player in the history of this sport, social networks exploded. The idea of ​​seeing the former Castres placed in the pantheon of world rugby is something that South Africans apparently have difficulty accepting. A phenomenon that we were once again able to observe recently during the top 100 best players of the year 2024 produced by the media Rugby Pass where the Toulouse native, logically, finished first. Several days of indignation followed on social networks, with most of the time, comments surrounded by shaky and poorly controlled arguments, even denigrating his club season.

A clash of cultures

A fact that brings us to our final point. If some South Africans are so angry with Antoine Dupont, it is because, according to them, he has proven nothing at international level, but also because his numerous club titles are worth nothing or almost nothing. In 2024, the Toulouse player won the Top 14 (considered the best championship in the world) and the Champions Cup, being voted best player in both competitions. Apparently not enough for them. “He didn’t play in the Six Nations Tournament. This price is therefore based on a few international matches, rugby sevens and a little club rugby. An insult for players who participated in 12 test matches like Du Toit or Kolbe. could we read on the X account of Mark Keohane, journalist for the AT Rugby Magafter seeing Dupont finish first in the ranking of Rugby Pass.

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Finally, the confrontation around Antoine Dupont leads to another: that of two different cultures, and this is also why the two communities love to “hate” each other so much. In South Africa, everything is centered around the national team. In France – we don’t know how many times it will have to be repeated – the internationals prefer to raise the Brennus Shield than to play a summer tour in the southern hemisphere.

It’s true, Antoine Dupont has only played 24 minutes outside of Europe since the start of his career (2019 World Cup in Japan omitted), during a match against the Springboks in 2017. A statistic that do not hesitate to evoke South African Internet users to take down the captain of Stade Toulousain. There should be nearly 80 more this Saturday. If the clash between the Sharks and the defending champion is enticing, the historic presence of the Olympic champion in South Africa gives a completely different flavor to this Champions Cup group stage meeting. Once again, on the ground and on social networks, the battle should rage between French and South Africans.