Antoine Dupont undergoes surgery on injured knee ahead of long absence

France captain Antoine Dupont has undergone surgery on his injured knee, according to French outlet l’Equipe. 

The scrum-half suffered the second cruciate ligament rupture to his right knee of his career in round four of the Guinness Six Nations against Ireland, leaving the field at the Aviva Stadium after 28 minutes.

France went on to win the Six Nations title the week later, defeating Scotland in Paris, with the 28-year-old watching from the sidelines, being met with a rapturous ovation from the Stade de France crowd when his face appeared on screen. He was on hand after the match to hobble on stage and lift the trophy, which was stand-in captain Gregory Alldritt’s desire.

Following a short break after the Championship, Dupont went under the knife on Monday in Toulouse, with l’Equipe also reporting he suffered injuries to his “medial meniscus and collateral ligament” as well.

Six Nations

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

France

5

4

1

0

21

2

England

5

4

1

0

20

3

Ireland

5

4

1

0

19

4

Scotland

5

2

3

0

11

5

Italy

5

1

4

0

5

6

Wales

5

0

5

0

3

The 2021 World Rugby player of the year also ruptured his ACL in 2018, which kept him out of action for eight months, and is again expected to be sidelined for six to nine months.

The relationship between France and Ireland has turned sour in the aftermath of the injury, with Fabien Galthie describing the clearout by Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter as “reprehensible”.

“In terms of the action, in my opinion it was reprehensible, and there are ways to study and analyse it,” he said to France 2 TV.

“We feel for him today. He is suffering and we are suffering with him.”

Interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby fired back days later, criticising France’s conduct following the injury.

“Without getting myself into trouble here, I just think it’s the game unfortunately,” said Easterby.

“No player goes out to intentionally injure another player. For everyone, or for the majority of people watching, looking at it afterwards, everyone felt like it was a rugby incident which was really unfortunate.

“Whatever the insinuations were from different people post-game, it’s disappointing because the unfortunate thing is people who don’t really understand the game pick up on it.”