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La seule fois où Antoine Dupont a joué dans l’hémisphère Sud

Le Sud-Africain Coenie Oosthuizen (C) est plaqué par le Français Antoine Dupont alors qu'il marque un essai lors du test-match entre l'Afrique du Sud et la France au Kingspark rugby stadium, le 17 juin 2017 à Durban. / AFP PHOTO / ANESH DEBIKY (Le crédit photo doit se lire ANESH DEBIKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Il fut un temps où Antoine Dupont n’était pas le plus grand joueur au monde et l’incontournable qu’il est devenu au fil des ans. En 2017, c’était le cas.

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Cette année-là, le jeune demi de mêlée de Castres (attendu la saison suivante à Toulouse), vit tout juste ses premières sélections en équipe de France sous l’égide de Guy Novès. Il n’a que 20 ans et figure déjà depuis un an sur la liste développement de 30 joueurs de moins de 23 ans à fort potentiel qui intéresse le XV de France.

Appelé en dernière minute pour remplacer Machenaud

« On suit ce jeune demi de mêlée depuis la saison dernière », explique alors le sélectionneur qui l’a appelé en dernière minute pour remplacer Maxime Machenaud, blessé.

« On attend qu’il joue avec ses qualités, avec son insouciance, même si on lui a fait passer quelques messages. Mais il ne peut pas tout ingurgiter en quarante-huit heures…»

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Son premier match est une victoire contre l’Italie dans le Tournoi des Six Nations (18-40) où il remplace Baptiste Serin pour les six dernières minutes. Il jouera un peu plus longtemps la semaine suivante contre le Pays de Galles où il entre en jeu à la 19e minute, toujours à la place de Serin. Ce match remporté 20-18 est encore aujourd’hui considéré comme l’un des plus importants entre les deux équipes. Déjà, Dupont entre dans la légende.

67 minutes de jeu au niveau international

A ce moment-là, Antoine Dupont n’a que 67 minutes de temps de jeu au niveau international quand Novès le retient pour sa tournée en Afrique du Sud où trois matchs sont prévus contre les Springboks. Dupont l’admet en conférence de presse, il arrive « encore un peu sur la pointe des pieds » dans cette grande équipe.

Mais cette fois, il arrive mieux préparé. « Je n’en suis qu’à mes débuts, je suis en phase de découverte », déclare-t-il en toute humilité. « Je n’ai pas de problème à annoncer, parler sur le terrain. Mais lors des réunions, des séances vidéo, je ne vais pas me mettre en avant. Déjà ce n’est pas ma nature, et ce n’est pas à moi de le faire ici. »

Dupont ne disputera qu’un seul test, le deuxième le 17 juin au Kings Park Stadium de Durban. Une fois encore il est remplaçant de Baptiste Serin (sanctionné pour être passé à côté de son match) et entre à la 56e minute de jeu. Au cours de ces 24 minutes où il se confronte notamment à Siya Kolisi, le futur champion du monde, il ne pourra pas inverser la courbe de la défaite qui se profile (37-15).

Jeu déprimant

La presse juge le jeu des Français « déprimant ». « Les joueurs de Guy Novès ont certes tenu le ballon mais leurs attaques ont manqué de vitesse, de génie, d’imagination, de créativité. Les Tricolores ont tapé sur le mur sud-africain, sans réellement le faire bouger », écrit le Midi Olympique.

« Ressorts cassés, les Français subissaient dans les rucks en allant trop vite au sol, ne franchissaient pas, jouaient devant la défense, flanchaient en mêlée et encaissaient deux buts de pénalité », commente L’Équipe.

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Seule satisfaction, la performance du jeune Damian Penaud (20 ans), alors trois-quarts centre, qui vit là sa première titularisation. Le remontage de bretelles du président Laporte sitôt être descendu de l’avion le matin même n’a pas servi d’électrochoc. C’est dans cette ambiance de fin de règle que va éclore Antoine Dupont.

Le retour à Durban, huit ans après

Cette tournée sera fatale à Guy Novès qui sera poussé vers la sortie par Laporte en fin d’année après avoir essuyé d’autres échecs à Paris et notamment un humiliant match nul face au Japon en novembre.

Personne ne le sait encore, mais ces quelques minutes seront les seules que Dupont aura joué dans l’hémisphère Sud… jusqu’à probablement le 11 janvier 2024 où le Stade Toulousain affrontera les Hollywoodbets Sharks dans le même stade, huit ans après et où il pourrait être aligné.

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Hormis la Coupe du Monde de Rugby au Japon en 2019, Antoine Dupont n’a en fait jamais joué en dehors de l’Europe et c’est justement ce point qui est discuté par ceux qui lui contestent son statut de GOAT. Absent des tournées estivales du fait de la présence de Toulouse dans les phases finales du Top 14, son expérience internationale s’est toujours concentrée en France, en Italie et au Royaume-Uni.

Et la prochaine fois avec le XV de France pourrait bien être à l’occasion de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2027 en Australie.

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Visionnez gratuitement le documentaire en cinq épisodes “Chasing the Sun 2” sur RugbyPass TV (*non disponible en Afrique), qui raconte le parcours des Springboks dans leur quête pour défendre avec succès leur titre de Champions du monde de rugby

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M
Mzilikazi 2 hours ago
Is the overlap dying in modern rugby?

A very interesting article, Nick. On beautiful and unseasonly cool summer morning here in our part of Qld., as the sun rises over the distant Border Ranges beyond the misty Lockyer Valley, that winter of '63 in the British Isles is now a distant but clear memory. There was a very heavy snowfall in Ulster, I was at school in Belfast. The snow was so heavy by mid morning that the headmaster closed down, sent us all home. Fine for those 99% of the kids who lived within a few miles of the school in E. Belfast. But my brother and I lived up on the Antrim Plateau, a good hour away. It was an interesting journey home, including a three mile hike along narrow country lanes !


It will be interesting to see how Ireland go this year in the 6N. The Nienaber defence revolution at Leinster is bound to be to the fore, with the dominance of that province in the make up of the team. However I would hope the legacy of the Lancaster era is still strong too. I'm not feeling too confident atm, with the AB game and the 2024 England 6N defeat too fresh in the memory.


Great clips from the JPR era. I see John Dawes involved there, and he was so often crucial with his ability to pass accurately under pressure. That is what is missing in the LAR game clips. A John Dawes type ability to pass well under pressure. I feel the teams that cause the rush defence problems will always be those that use out the back accurate passes to create space for the wide player, be he a Cheslin Kolbe or a big fast modern age forward,

26 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

Haha crap man I wouldn't know if SR has ever made a profit. ABs subsidize everything. Factors like SR clubs not paying 'for' their ABs etc, normal having a star would cost you 2 or 3x as much as a regular, but NZR covers all that in NZ. Pretty sure was the case for the other two partners too. I doubt even NZR knows the exact ratios sponsors like Sky/Adidas/AIG/Altrad/Investec give for local product.


No doubt SR used to make more money with the 3 partners, but of course it was also split 3 way. TBH I don't think its going to be much different (I think the new deal is still higher than before?). That last deal was bumper despite the comp being in decline, then SA left and the deal was probably worth even more for NZ? Can't recall how that played out I think Sky kept the agreemnt (fully). They'll be taking a big hit but it would be anything to do with the state of the game.


So when you say bleeding, you mean since around 2013/14 right? When SA'n and Aussie crowds finally stopped turning up to watch NZ smash them every week. So again, I was just stating your picture was wrong, and you've got the wrong causes, I don't disagree too much with the idea it's 'bleeding' though, id1ots were complaining about NZ sides getting a rough deal come final time for a loooong period and lots of other things that dragged the game down but on the field it just kept getting better and better. The problem is this nationalistic concept, that caught up on them (previously being the great driver for interest) and fans didn't care about the top four teams like every other sports competition in the world. They only cared about their local teams not winning.


No, SR wasnt optimal, which is what it was recommended to have just the SR Pacific comp instead. I'm not sure how much better things are now though. It needs time?


I know how I'd like to find equilibrium and it's much like what you propose. One big difference is I just don't think they need to cut SR. I would switch investment into an NPC/fully domestic scene + youth, like you, I'd just have like a much shorter SR season and I'd try and create a university scene rather than high school, that little extra age demographic matters a lot to investment/interest.


It's what the NRL can pay, and I think I heard it recently for someone in the spot light. I used it as a future figure more than anything though, the idea being these other leagues are only going to be more and more competitive, so much so they take away local talent before it can have a chance to develop. And once it goes they're unlikely to develop into the player they would have here. Not choosing a path that can compete will be a disaster imo. Thus the All Black decline.


I think don't think theres any reason your ideas can't work though, with maybe a added little flair here and there to drive some extra revenue. 20 is just a number to get a picture how many of top 60 might dissapear, it's nothing Id calculated. Think of it as an 'at any particular time' number.


In general I think people so quickly forget those that leave and all hope is placed on the next guy. Think that were talking top 4 or 5 in a position, there are a lot of positions that don't place much past the number 3. Look at Bell, theres no one he would be one of NZ top dozen hookers, numerous people would have left without getting a shot and the likes of Riccitelli or Eklund are obvious better. You've got first fives like Burke, Jordan, Falcon, Black, Plummer next year, Ioane Sopoaga, West who at any one time are going to be 3, 4, and 5 in NZ order. You've TKB, Smith, now Perenara, Weber, even Ruru is having a standout season and ALL would be better than the 3rd best local in Hotham or Christie. Now weve got last season statistical best full back leaving in Stevenson, he's joining Moorby and Rayasi, Bridge, and god knows who else who's having an awesome year that would break him into the All Blacks if it was in Super Rugby. Midfield is stacked when at home would be scratching around for guys like the Umaga-Jensen boys hoping they were fit to fill out 4 or 5th best 2nd5 and centers, when the likes of TJ Faiane, Nankiville, Seta, Aso, Fekitoa, Goodhue, Leicester, Ngani, even one of my fav Rob Thompson would be better than getting down to picks like Aumua, Ennor, McCleod, Tupea, and those that would have to come after them. We've got some of my fav loosies in Lachlan Boshier, Charlie Gamble, Whetu Douglas overseas, now Akira, never my talented players like.


I think your top 60 must have be a picture of the 36 man Crusaders squad plus a list of last years All Blacks! Obviously I've gone off track here as sure, these players leave a big whole but it's not one that NZ hasn't been able to fill in the past while maintaining quality SR sides (the periods when it was rocking), but there will be a time when loosing too many of those quality players has a much bigger impact than the already currently disillusioned SR fan can take.


Bottom line is Australia have far more talent and players that we do (statistically) and all that would need to have in the short term to fix your perceived problem with Super Rugby is trade some the best NZ players into the Aus sides. Simple, problem solved, competitive comp achieved.

cut off super rugby and stop the bleeding . put all the money back into the remaining competitions

Is too quick, many will see it as an opportunity to leave and that starts the very risky slope. You have to have a plan. Any change needs to be gradual and with a better future prospect, until then, voices like yours are only going to undermine any possible immediate success.

87 Go to comments
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