“This guy is on another level. No one can compete right now.” The legendary All Black scrum half Aaron Smith got it right by dubbing Antoine Dupont in early February. Ten months later, the Toulouse player was crowned best player of the year 2021 by World Rugby, Friday, December 9. A most prestigious trophy, since only two Tricolores, Fabien Galthié in 2002 and Thierry Dusautoir in 2011, won it before him. “Toto” on top of the world, anything but a joke in view of the linear course of this extraordinary scrum half.
@ Dupont9A this guy is on another level! No one is near him atm. He’s the point of difference for both his Club and country. He’s helping me look at parts of my game to improve #Respect # 9Gang
– Aaron Smith (@Te_Nug) February 10, 2021
The story begins in Castelnau-Magnoac, in the Hautes-Pyrénées. “The last village before the Gers”, likes so much to recall Dupont to locate his hometown. Born in 1996, the young Antoine feels the oval ball from his first steps, in the lineage of his father, his brother or his uncle. “We all remember this fair-haired boy with a round face with his ball“, told AFP in 2019 Bernard Verdier, mayor of the village of 800 souls where the Dupont family still lives.
“All my childhood memories revolve around this sport, the oval ball. There was no rugby school in the village and volunteers took care of supervising the kids.”
Antoine DupontFrench rugby federation, in 2017
His screwed passes and frenzied canes allow him to join FC Auch Gers from the age of 15. He stayed there for three years, the time to grow up alongside his friend Anthony Jelonch and to experience his first capes in the under-17s. The time, also, to hoist the FCAG in the final of the championship of France Crabos 2014, under 18 years. A first for the Auscitan club, defeated by a Racing – already – carried, among others, by Camille Chat and Boris Palu.
This missed meeting, Antoine Dupont disputed it … in position of opener. “As a youngster, I played in the center then I went to 10 or 15”, he confided this summer to South West. It is Serge Milhas, his trainer in Castres, who fixes him at the post of scrum half. At the end of his arrival in the Tarn in the summer of 2014, everything is linked: barely a bachelor and not yet major, “Toto” comes into play against the great Leinster.
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Brooded by the iconic Rory Kockott and never far from the faithful Anthony Jelonch, he learns and becomes a regular at the hopeful selections. His manager Christophe Urios places great trust in him, to the point of being one of the best hopes of 2016. Then, a few months later, the holy grail: Dupont, 20, discovers the Blues. Marcoussis, the Stade de France and the Marseillaise: this time, the kid from the Hautes-Pyrénées touches on excellence. “I felt like reality was virtual…”, then indicates the scrum half on the Federation website.
A baptism of fire in Italy then an anthology match against Wales (20-18 victory … acquired twenty minutes after the siren) initiated the romance between Dupont and the Blues. Which will be sealed a few months later, against the All Blacks. Not impressed by the haka and the prestige of his opposite Aaron Smith, he delivers a high-level performance a few days before his twenty-first birthday. Until being elected man of the match and making the front page of The team, despite a bitter defeat (18-38).
The front page of your L’Équipe newspaper this Sunday, November 12
Nothingness and a promise
Divine Riner
Lacazette under pressureBrowse the edition https://t.co/odUMZWA7Xl pic.twitter.com/e0r8VCqXcD
– THE TEAM (@the team) November 12, 2017
In fact, it’s been a few months since Dupont moved into another dimension. Transferred to the great Stade Toulousain in the summer of 2017, he joined an institution in decline, pitiful 12th in the previous year. Above all, this son of black pig breeders from Bigorre rediscovers a Pink City where he passed his baccalaureate.
“Toulouse was the big city, a big metropolis where I didn’t feel at all at ease. In a year, I’ve never been to Place du Capitole once!”
Antoine DupontFrench rugby federation, in 2017
These bad memories do not prevent the supporter of the Rouge et Noir – a kid, he regularly populated the Toulouse stands – from adapting. Quickly propelled holder, an injury however slows down his progress during the 2018 Tournament. The dreaded “crusaders” sound the first hitch of his young career. But they also strengthen his appetite: Antoine Dupont is back on time to lead Stade Toulousain to Brennus in 2019.
His first trophy crowned a promising 2019: until then replacing behind Baptiste Serin and Morgan Parra, he won his place in the Tournament. His confidence and his madness allow him to compete in the World Cup in Japan in the skin of a holder. Two tries against Argentina and Wales, to definitely win in the eyes of the oval planet.
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Better, the number 9 goes on with a stratospheric 2020 Tournament, at the end of which he will be elected “best player”. New darling of a French public who is relearning to love his selection, Dupont acquires the nickname of “Minister of the Interior”, because of his ability to show himself to the support of his teammates. His speed, his insane downforce, his harshness in defense and his precise passes bring him into the galaxy of the greatest.
As if the student had surpassed the master, he brings hell to Aaron Smith during the explosive victory of the Blues in Saint-Denis in November 2021 (40-25). A part that “Toto” approached in a new role of captain, after the injury of Charles Ollivon. Sign of a certain maturity at the highest level, even if his twenty-five years augur a bright future.
Freedom, victory, fraternity
Well done the team pic.twitter.com/eVD6purJMT– Antoine Dupont (@ Dupont9A) November 20, 2021
“Maturity” is undoubtedly the term that best suits the 2021 vintage of Toulouse. Champion of France and Europe with his club, he crunches each meeting like an ogre which it is difficult to know if he will end up being satisfied. Multi-titled in Toulouse and now recognized on an individual level, Dupont will now focus on a huge challenge: to fill a record that is still blank with his selection. With Anthony Jelonch, of course.