Antoine Dupont relishes Springboks meeting with new France
Antoine Dupont is the reigning World Player of the Year and captained France to a first Grand Slam in more than a decade but the Les Bleus superstar insists he is still not the finished article- writes Paul Eddison.
At 25, Dupont has become the face of French rugby, leading a team that has won a record-equalling ten successive Tests and claimed the Guinness Six Nations title in style earlier this year.
With predecessor Charles Ollivon back from injury, coach Fabien Galthié had to make a decision over whether to return the captain’s armband to his back-rower or stick with Dupont.
In truth, it was not much of a decision. While not seen as a natural leader, Dupont has taken on such outsize importance within every team he plays that everyone else just gets in line to follow.
And while it may feel like that a player who is almost universally regarded as the best on the planet does not have much progress to make, Dupont is quick to point out that he is still a relative newcomer compared to some of the most experienced players in the game.
He said: “I think I can improve everywhere, we can always improve. I’ve been with the French team for a while now but I’ve only got 40 caps. When we play teams with players who have 100, 120 caps, you realise the path that is left for you to follow. So you have to keep winning titles and maintain the consistency over the seasons, that is the hardest thing.
“This status (being the face of French rugby) is not something that has happened overnight. I’ve been able to adapt to the demands on and off the pitch. I’m very demanding of myself and I know that if I don’t play as well, the supporters will let me know and I will be hard on myself too.
“My status has changed, I’ve been lucky enough to win titles with my club and with the France team. I’m playing in teams that are doing well and compete for titles every year. When that is the case, there are always individuals who emerge and I’ve been lucky enough to win some trophies myself. That’s part of the game, but rugby is all about the collective result so it’s more important to concentrate on that.”
France will take on Australia, South Africa and Japan in the Autumn Nations Series, with the clash with the world champions a first meeting since Fabien Galthié took over the captaincy.
That encounter will take place in Marseille, and could be a dress rehearsal for a potential World Cup quarter-final.
For Dupont, that encounter is a tantalising prospect, having lost all three of his previous meetings with the Springboks, when he first broke into the French side under Guy Novès and then Jacques Brunel.
He added: “Since the start of Fabien’s time in charge, we’ve not played South Africa, and before then we haven’t been able to beat them for a long time (2009).
“We know the level they have, they are the world champions and they have some very experienced players, really good players, and they know their rugby. They have more experience than us but we can’t wait to welcome them to Marseille. It will be a big match which will be very important for us.
“It’s been a while since I played them. At the time, I was certainly lacking experience and we probably lacked collective experience as a team. On the pitch, we were not as accurate and we didn’t have the same structure on the pitch.
“We struggled to produce our rugby and when we went over there (in 2017), it was the moment that they managed to put together their best rugby together and it was really tough. We know that against South Africa, you have to be ready for the physical challenge. That was the case a few years ago and it will be again in Marseille.”
For more information please visit the official website of the Autumn Nations Series at https://autumnnationsseries.
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments