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Dupont 'showing he is the GOAT' with unprecedented feat a possibility
The most obvious takeaway from the Guinness Six Nations so far has been how influential Antoine Dupont is.
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A France team bereft of their captain and talisman, and a few others to be fair, have been a shell of the team they were just a matter of weeks ago at the World Cup. His absence has only enhanced the scrum-half’s status as being one of the best players in the world, and even of all time.
Anyone making the claim that the Frenchman already belongs in the pantheon of rugby greats gained another compelling argument to their case over the weekend as the 27-year-old helped France win the HSBC Los Angeles in just his second sevens tournament.
A week after making his debut for France Sevens in Vancouver, Dupont was ending a 19-year French trophy drought.
The Toulouse No9 has already elevated a good France team into a team that are a major force heading into a home Olympics later this year. Unsurprisingly, the term GOAT has been bandied about a lot since the triumph.
For ex Scotland fly-half Ruaridh Jackson, he has seen all he needs to see in the all-time greatest debate, writing online: “Dupont showing he is the GOAT. Leaves to go play 7s, the 15s team implodes in the 6 Nations and the 7s win their first title in 19 years.
“Surely no one can deny this guy’s influence on a team now. The guy must have an elite mindset that drips down into whatever squad he’s with.”
Dupont showing he is the GOAT. Leaves to go play 7s, the 15s team implodes in the 6 Nations and the 7s win their first title in 19 years.
Surely no one can deny this guys influence on a team now. The guy must have an elite mindset that drips down into whatever squad he’s with
ADVERTISEMENT— Ruaridh Jackson (@ruaridh_jackson) March 4, 2024
Dupont is gunning for team success, and after falling short at the World Cup last year, he has an Olympic Gold medal fixed in his crosshairs. But on an individual level, former Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui questioned whether Dupont could become the first player ever to be named the 7s and 15s player of the year.
“In an Olympic year, could Antoine Dupont be the first player to win World Player of the Year from both 15’s & 7’s?!” Raiwalui wrote on X after the LA SVNS.
The 52-cap international was named the 2021 World Rugby 15s player of the year, and now has three more legs of the HSBC SVNS Series, as well as the Olympics, to throw his hat in the ring.
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Though he missed the first three legs of the current series, it would be tough not to consider Dupont for the gong if he continues to make the kind of impact he has done so far.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’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 commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
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