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Watch: Antoine Dupont makes highly anticipated SVNS Series debut
It was a moment months in the making. Much to the delight of fans at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium on Friday afternoon, Frenchman Antoine Dupont debuted on the SVNS Series.
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As a mild chill continued to make its way through the Canadian venue, Dupont charged onto the field along with his new sevens teammates ahead of France’s clash with the United States of America.
But fans had to wait a little bit longer to see the former World Rugby Player of the Year in action. Dupont, who was wearing No. 25, started the match on the bench.
Dupont, who captained France at last year’s 15-a-side Rugby World Cup on home soil, was later injected into the clash midway through the second term – and the fans loved it.
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The Vancouver crowd let out a near-deafening cheer as the superstar made his way towards the action along with teammate Aaron Grandidier Nkanang.
“Fans, please welcome to the HSBC SVNS pitch for the very first time,” the ground announcer said. “One of the very best to do it, the greatest male rugby player in the world, Antoine Dupont!”
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Dupont’s first involvement was an attacking scrum inside the USA’s 22 metre line. Just like his role in XVs, the halfback was seen calling the shots before feeding the ball into the scrum.
France ended up beating the United States 24-12 as Jordan Sepho impressed with a try-scoring double going a long way to deciding the pool stage clash.
It’s the start of a rugby journey that Dupont no doubt hopes will end with an Olympic gold medal draped around his neck at Stade de France in July.
Dupont, 27, trained with his new teammates for the first time in Marcoussis in January before returning to club XVs duty with Toulouse.
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Teammate Grandidier Nkanang told RugbyPass in Perth last month that France’s marquee recruit had to complete a “little initiation” after linking up with the group for the first time.
“It’s not anything particularly strange, it’s just 10 burpees,” Grandidier Nkanang said.
“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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’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.
37 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 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…
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