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Pour Antoine Dupont, le passage au sept est « un peu flippant »
Le demi de mêlée Antoine Dupont se prépare à vivre une année importante en 2024, pour tenter d’oublier sa déception en Coupe du monde et renouer avec sa soif de nouvelles victoires.
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La star toulousaine de 27 ans ne participera pas au Tournoi des Six Nations car il se prépare à rejoindre le programme de rugby à sept de l’équipe de France, avec les yeux rivés sur les Jeux olympiques de Paris.
S’exprimant avec sincérité sur sa décision au micro de la BBC Radio 5 Live, Dupont explique : « Je vais avoir une année très chargée, mais j’aime ça et j’ai hâte d’y être. C’est très excitant, mais aussi un peu flippant », ce qui témoigne de son impatience à relever le défi qui l’attend. Ce passage au rugby à sept marque un changement important par rapport à son rugby à XV habituel.
La détermination de Dupont trouve son origine dans sa récente désillusion lors de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby, où la France, pourtant pays organisateur, a été éliminée par l’Afrique du Sud en quarts de finale.
Relever de nouveaux défis
« Quand vous perdez une compétition, vous voulez faire autre chose pour essayer de gagner à nouveau », explique Dupont sur BBC Radio 5 Live.
Dupont a joué un rôle essentiel dans la victoire de Toulouse sur les Harlequins en Champions Cup.
« La Champions Cup est toujours une compétition importante pour nous, et je pense que nous avons vu ces deux dernières semaines que nous sommes très motivés pour cette compétition », ajoute-t-il.
Pour autant, la transition vers le rugby à sept ne sera pas facile. La dernière fois que Dupont a joué dans ce format, c’était en tant que joueur de moins de 18 ans.
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« La dernière fois [que j’ai joué au rugby à sept], c’était en moins de 18 ans, je crois, mais c’est le même sport et il y a beaucoup de choses similaires. Je vais devoir travailler beaucoup pour être compétitif dans toutes les compétitions. »
Des appels réguliers au coach
Dupont participera aux tournois du circuit en février et mars avant de revenir au Stade Tooulousain pour la fin de la saison. Il switchera ensuite sur le programme de rugby à sept à temps pour les Jeux olympiques de juillet. Sa volonté de maîtriser les deux formats est évidente.
« J’ai beaucoup d’appels avec l’entraîneur pour essayer d’acquérir des skills, et je vais essayer d’apprendre en regardant le jeu », assure-t-il.
Malgré l’excitation de cette nouvelle aventure, Dupont admet qu’il lui sera difficile de ne pas prendre part au Tournoi des Six Nations, un incontournable du calendrier du rugby.
« Oui, c’est difficile [de manquer le Tournoi des Six Nations], mais je dois faire des choix, malheureusement. »
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Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments