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Antoine Dupont’s ‘little initiation’ after joining France sevens training camp
One of the world’s best rugby players Antoine Dupont linked up with his new sevens teammates for the first time last month ahead of a bid to make France’s squad for the Paris Olympics in July.
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Dupont, 27, attended a France sevens training camp south of Paris in Marcoussis which was held from January 2 to 5. But it was only a brief appearance from the former World Rugby Player of the Year who returned to Toulouse ahead of their clash with Lyon that weekend.
In a video released by France Rugby, Dupont was filmed in a huddle alongside his new teammates before stepping into the centre of the circle. Dupont dropped to the ground for 10 burpees, and now we know why.
After beating the All Blacks Sevens on the opening day of last month’s SVNS Perth at HBF Park, Frenchman Aaron Grandidier Nkanang revealed it was “a little initiation” that all players and staff must complete.
“It’s not anything particularly strange, it’s just 10 burpees,” Grandidier Nkanang told RugbyPass in Perth after France’s stunning 33-17 win over New Zealand.
“He just did his burpees and we had him for the rest of the day.
“It was nice to get to meet him, to get to know him a bit better because obviously, I’ve only known him from the TV.
“I’m excited to see what he can bring to the team.”
When asked if Dupont ‘looked like the world’s best player’ while he did his burpees, Grandidier Nkanang paused for a moment. “Yeah man,” he said before laughing.
👀😏 Regardez qui est là ?
Pour son premier entraînement avec les Bleus de #France7, @Dupont9A a été accueilli ce matin par ses nouveaux coéquipiers ! 😜💙 pic.twitter.com/lgtQc76Y9Z
ADVERTISEMENT— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) January 3, 2024
But what Antoine Dupont’s addition to this French side could mean for the rest of the SVNS Series is no laughing matter. Les Bleus Sevens are already a rapidly improving side.
After starting their new season with a 35-nil thumping of Great Britain in Dubai, heavy defeats to Fiji and the United States saw France to fail to progress to the Cup quarter-finals. France battled it out in the bottom four along with Spain, Great Britain and Canada.
But Les Bleus Sevens showed improvement a week later to progress through to the Cup knockout rounds of SVNS Cape Town, and they made the quarter-finals last month in Perth as well.
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Next up on the SVNS Series is an event in Vancouver from February 23 to 25. Those interested in watching some of the world’s best rugby while enjoying the best party in town can get tickets HERE.
Comments on RugbyPass
I like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to comments