1
Dupont 'showing he is the GOAT' with unprecedented feat a possibility
By Josh Raisey
The most obvious takeaway from the Guinness Six Nations so far has been how influential Antoine Dupont is.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
err NOT!!!! He has not won a Rugby World Cup. France is not a consistent threat in 7s. He had a good season but that does not make him a GOAT. Jumping the gun a bit there.
There are 4 people who have won 2 (back-to-back) Rugby World Cups, and just gone back-to-back 7s Olympic Golds and more World Series 7s wins then anyone and they are female and they wear black and are legends and true masters of all forms of rugby - Hirini, Waaka, Setefano and Woodman-Wickliffe.