“I am aware of my current level,” says Antoine Dupont before the Champions Cup match against Cardiff

The Stade Toulousain scrum-half returned at a press conference on Friday to his recent performances since his post-World Cup resumption.

“When we enter the field, we know that we are going to be judged”admitted Toulouse international scrum-half Antoine Dupont on Friday, who accepts the criticism and who is “aware of (one’s) current level” on the eve of starting the Champions Cup at home against Cardiff.

How do you feel physically and mentally, almost two months after the elimination of the French XV in the quarter-finals of the World Cup?

Antoine Dupont: Physically, things are going very well, I have regained all my integrity. We were able to benefit from a substantial rest period after the shift to gradually return. Mentally, it also felt good to be able to switch (from the selection to the club), even if there was frustration over the last performances. This is why we want even more today to have a successful performance, to have fun together on the pitch. I’m not sure that the weather conditions tomorrow (Saturday) are too favorable for that, but that’s what we’re going to try to look for.

How do you respond to the criticism recently leveled against you regarding your lower performance since your return from the World Cup?

We’re always more or less used to it, it’s part of the game. Afterwards, it depends on who the criticism comes from. When it’s specialists who know the game, it’s always more annoying than when it’s a podcast released on the internet to create buzz. We know the meaning and scope of words and this affects more or less depending on the conditions in which they are said and by whom they are said. When we enter the field, we know that we are going to be judged. Afterwards, it is up to us to be our own referee and above all to be able to communicate with the staff. This is what remains the most important, to be aligned with the staff on our level and our ambitions of the day.

How do you view your last matches?

My return to Stade Français (last weekend in Top 14) was rather conclusive. The two matches before, whether Clermont or Castres, were less successful. We had difficulty finding ourselves collectively and I, somewhat in continuation of that, did not find myself flamboyant. We can’t skim over every meeting, even if I’m the first to get frustrated when it doesn’t go so well. I am aware of my current level and the level at which I claim to be. I want to say the image of the team. I think we have the potential to have much better encounters than that and I hope that it will come to fruition this weekend.