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'That is what differentiates him': Brian O'Driscoll has singled out what makes Antoine Dupont a rugby superstar up there with football's Messi
Brian O’Driscoll believes rugby’s superstar players, the likes of France and Toulouse scrum-half Antoine Dupont, are doing an immense job in keeping sports fans royally entertained during this era of behind closed doors matches. Rugby switched into European competition last weekend following an unexpectedly uplifting Guinness Six Nations and the level of club action didn’t disappoint.
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O’Driscoll himself was in Limerick watching the France star Dupont in person as he scored two tries in the round of 16 Heineken Champions Cup win by Toulouse over Munster.
The BT Sport rugby pundit felt privileged to witness the game-deciding contribution served up by the French half-back, believing individual performances such as this will ensure eyeballs remain firmly fixed on the sport when it heads into quarter-finals weekend in a few days’ time.
Asked what he was enjoying most about rugby in these pandemic times, O’Driscoll told RugbyPass. “A reduction of box-kicks. Other than that you are seeing some outstanding individual performers at the moment, really excelling consistently.
“If you think about the weekend (just gone) you’re thinking about the likes of Antoine Dupont, you’re talking about (Romain) Ntamack and you have got the emergence of some of the young blood as well, unknown players in Europe, the likes of Gavin Coombes who had a really strong performance for Munster in a defeat.
OH WHAT A STEP! ?
Toulouse at their blistering best as Matthis Lebel leaves his defender in the dust before feeding Antoine Dupont!
Wait for the slow-mo, that is just rude ?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/4ZHjDB9WnQ
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) April 3, 2021
“I just feel as though some of the superstars are really stepping up to the plate and giving us reasons to watch the game, their performances alone. That’s what you need. You look at football the whole time – anyone would watch Barcelona because of Messi and we [rugby] need superstar players to be able to play at a different level than everybody else for us to just go and watch and have a player cam on them for the game because of what they are capable of doing.”
France No9 Dupont put Munster to the sword coming down the finishing straight in Limerick, the half-back taking advantage of some smart lines of running to play to be available to latch onto possession of score some crucial tries. “That’s not anything particularly new, it’s just that there are so many linebreaks coming from Toulouse and France that he picks up so many easy tries – but scrum-halves have been doing that for years.
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“It’s just he probably is a little bit better at reading it and also you have to have the fitness levels to get there. He is supremely fit. It’s one thing wanting to do it, it’s another thing doing it when you have gone through 15 or 20 phases and you have been the scrum-half for every single one of them.
“That is exhausting, throwing good quality passing, but then running a positive trailing line to pick up that try or pick up that break and offload it, you have got to have a real mental toughness and ability to stay in the fight and that is what differentiates him.
“Everyone sees the skill and everyone sees what he is able to do early on in phases, the lovely flick passes and everything, but it is actually staying in the fight longer than everybody else is sometimes the winning and losing and the scoring of tries or missing opportunities.”
- BT Sport is the home of the Heineken Champions Cup with every single match live. Watch all the action from the quarter-finals – including Exeter Chiefs v Leinster – next Saturday and Sunday, April 10 and 11, on BT Sport 2
Comments on RugbyPass
Eye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to comments