Antoine Dupont

Antoine Dupont (born 15 November 1996) is a French professional rugby union player. He currently plays at scrum half for Toulouse in the Top 14 and captains the France national team.[1][2] In 2021, Dupont won World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year.[3] He is considered, by many, to be the best player in the world and one of the best scrum-halves to ever play the game.

Antoine Dupont
Dupont playing for France in 2023
Date of birth (1996-11-15) 15 November 1996
Place of birthLannemezan, France
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight84 kg (13 st 3 lb; 185 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Youth career
2000–2011 Magnoac
2011–2014 Auch
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2017 Castres 61 (44)
2017– Toulouse 96 (200)
Correct as of 20 March 2023
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016 France U20 11 (36)
2016 French Barbarians 1 (0)
2017– France 47 (60)
Correct as of 18 March 2023

Early life and education

Dupont was born in Lannemezan but grew up in the nearby village of Castelnau-Magnoac where he started rugby for Magnoac FC at the age of 4. In 2011, he joined Auch as a junior. Dupont studied for a master's degree in sport management in 2019 at the Toulouse School of Management [4]

Professional career

In 2014, Dupont joined Castres in the Top 14 after the relegation of Auch in the 2013–14 Rugby Pro D2 season.

In November 2016, Stade Toulousain announced Antoine Dupont's recruitment for the 2017–18 season.[5]

In 2019, Dupont won the Top 14 with Toulouse after defeating Clermont Auvergne 24-18 in the 2018-19 final.

In May 2021, Dupont won the European Rugby Champions Cup with Toulouse after defeating La Rochelle 22-17 in the 2020-2021 final. As captain, he lifted the trophy after the final whistle.[6] In the same year, Toulouse completed the domestic and European double winning the Top 14 for the 2nd time beating La Rochelle 18-8 in the final. [7]

He was awarded the World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year in 2021.

International career

In 2016, he was selected for the France U-20 team for the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. He was one of the stars of the tournament scoring 36 points which included 5 tries.[8]

In November 2016, he was selected for the French Barbarian team which played and beat Australia.

Dupont was called up to the French first team for the first time ahead of France's fourth 2017 Six Nations Championship match against Italy as a replacement for Maxime Machenaud.[9] He made his debut in that game coming on for Baptiste Serin in the 72nd minute of an eventual 40–18 away win.

In 2020, Dupont was named player of the tournament during following the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[10]

In 2022, Dupont was named as France captain in the absence of Charles Ollivon. During 2022 Six Nations Championship France won the tournament, also achieving the Grand Slam . This was France's first Six Nations Championship win since 2010.[11] Dupont picked up player of the tournament for the 2nd time.[12]

Though not winning the 2023 Six Nations, Dupont Claimed his 3rd Six Nations Player of the Tournament trophy, Equalling Brian O'Driscoll as the only player to win the award 3 times.

He is the third French captain after Fabien Pelous and Thierry Dusautoir to have beaten Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

International tries
International tries
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 March 2019 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy  Italy 3–5 14–25 2019 Six Nations
2 17 August 2019 Allianz Riviera, Nice, France  Scotland 30–3 32–3 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches
3 30 August 2019 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  Italy 24–7 47–19 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches
4 21 September 2019 Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu, Japan  Argentina 12–3 23–21 2019 Rugby World Cup
5 24 October 2020 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  Wales 12–13 38–21 Test Match
6 19–13
7 31 October 2020 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  Ireland 5–0 35–27 2020 Six Nations
8 6 February 2021 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy  Italy 3–36 10–50 2021 Six Nations
9 13 March 2021 Twickenham, London, England  England 0–5 23–20 2021 Six Nations
10 20 March 2021 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  Wales 12–7 32–30 2021 Six Nations
11 12 February 2022 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  Ireland 5–0 30–24 2022 Six Nations
12 19 March 2022 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  England 23–13 25–13 2022 Six Nations

Honours

International

France France

Club

France Toulouse

Individual

References
  1. "Antoine Dupont Profile". Itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  2. "Stade Toulousain". www.stadetoulousain.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  3. worldrugby.org. "World Rugby Awards 2021: Men's and Women's 15s Player of the Year unveiled | World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  4. "A day in the life of Antoine Dupont".
  5. "Toulouse sign rising star Dupont | Planetrugby.com". Planetrugby.com. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
  6. https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0522/1223275-toulouse-edge-14-man-la-rochelle-for-fifth-european-cup/
  7. https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/match-direct/top-14/2020-2021/toulouse-la-rochelle-live/33515
  8. "Antoine Dupont | Rugby.com.au". rugby.com.au. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
  9. XV de France : La composition pour l’Italie
  10. https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/2020/11/06/dupont-and-scarratt-win-player-of-the-championship-awards/
  11. https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/report/dupont-strikes-to-seal-grand-slam-glory-for-france/#report
  12. https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/2022/03/25/antoine-dupont-named-guinness-six-nations-player-of-the-championship/
  13. "DUPONT AND SCARRATT WIN PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS". Six Nations Rugby. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  14. "ANTOINE DUPONT NAMED 2022 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP". Six Nations Rugby. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  15. "DUPONT NAMED PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP". Six Nations Rugby. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
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