Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Former Wallabies backrower Stephen Hoiles believes France wouldn’t have won Olympic gold without Test rugby superstar Antoine Dupont, who was crowned the Sevens Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards in Monaco on Sunday evening.

Dupont is the first male rugby player to receive the top individual gong in both 15s and sevens, having taken home the 15s Player of the Year award in 2021. The Frenchman was already viewed as a generational talent but some now consider him the ‘GOAT’ after the Paris Olympics.

When Dupont announced that he would not participate in the Six Nations to instead prepare for events on the HSBC SVNS Series, the rugby world was intrigued. Bryan Habana, Michael Hooper and Liam Messam have all made that switch, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

But that’s what makes Dupont’s rise to ‘Sevens Player of the Year’ status so incredible. The 28-year-old led France to a third-place finish in Vancouver on debut before helping the team end their 19-year Cup Final drought with a fascinating triumph a week later in Los Angeles.

Dupont led the way at the SVNS Series Grand Final at Madrid’s Civitas Metropolitano as France charged home against League Winners Argentina to claim the overall title. But, that’s not all, with France scoring two tries in the Olympic gold medal match as the hosts made history.

While some might consider it a surprise to see Dupont take out this award – having also been crowned the SVNS Series Rookie of the Year after that Grand Final thriller against Argentina – Hoiles has explained why the history-maker was deserving of the honour.

“They don’t win a gold medal without him,” Hoiles said on Stan Sports’ Between Two Posts. “He was that influential, that’s the unique thing.

“It’s a weird one and you can counterargument it because Maddi Levi wins it for the women but we didn’t win gold (at the Olympics). She was outstanding, I get it, but you look at Dupont and he was genuine X-factor.

“He didn’t play many tournaments, but they don’t win a gold medal without him.

“… I think it’d be wise if he just played one or two tournaments every year and that’s a really good model I think, and other teams should look at it.

“If you have Corey Toole, just drop him into cape Town and Dubai so then in three years’ time when it’s ready for the Olympics, or four years’ time, he’s played eight tournaments.”

Dupont received the award ahead of France teammate Aaron Grandidier Nkanang and Ireland’s Terry Kennedy who were also nominated. Those three were included in the Dream Team of the Year along with Selvyn Davids, Nathan Lawson, Ponipate Loganimasi and Matias Osadczuk.

In the women’s game Canada’s Olivia Apps, Kristi Kirshe and Ilona Maher from the USA, and Seraphine Okemba from France were included in the Dream Team. The other three were Player of the Year nominees, including New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde and Jorja Miller.

But, it was nigh on impossible to argue or act surprised by the winner that evening, with Australia’s Maddison Levi winning the award for the first time after another record-breaking season with the SVNS Series champions.

Levi set a new record with 69 tries scored across the eight-tournament season, and then continued that purple patch of form at the Paris Olympics with 14 five-pointers. Australia didn’t medal in Paris but there’s no doubt that Levi is a world-class talent.

“Very well deserved up against two quality nominees from New Zealand, Jorja Miller – gun. Michael Blyde, brilliant,” former Wallaby Morgan Turinui explained. “Maddi did score more tries than her, but they won a gold medal (at the Olympics).

“I think the big thing with her is she’ll just get better and better and still has huge amount of improvement in her. If you look at what she can do in the game of rugby, coming across maybe to the 15s Wallaroos as well, could be anything at a Rugby World Cup next year too.”