Antoine Dupont is a French rugby union player, now Olympic rugby 7s champion.
Captain of the French XV, Antoine Dupont joined the French rugby 7s team with the sole aim of becoming Olympic champion. It is done and with style for the Toulouse player, one of the heroes of the Olympic final against Fiji. It must be said that the Frenchman has integrated well into the team after the disappointment of the 2023 World Cup with the Blues. The Toulouse player was proud to discover the Olympics. “It’s a great source of pride to say that we are now part of the Olympic family (…) We all have memories of the Olympic Games. It’s a legendary competition that has made generations of sports fans dream. We started supporting disciplines of which we didn’t even know half the rules. All it took was for a French player to start applauding or jumping when they won. My first memories must be from 2004,” he explained to Le Figaro. But can he drop everything and stay focused on rugby 7s to start a new career? Even if the break was incredible, Antoine Dupont should be back with the great XV team in a few weeks.
Antoine Dupont was born on July 28, 1996 in Lannemezan. He spent a happy childhood in Castelnau-Magnoac, the birthplace of his family. In this small town, the family lived from livestock farming. Jean, his father, and Jean-Luc, his uncle, were pioneers of the black pig sector of Bigorre. He has an older brother, Clément, who continues the work started by their elders with the support of the scrum-half.
It was also by following in his brother’s footsteps that he joined his village’s rugby club: Magnoac FC. He was not yet five years old. Gifted, lively but at the same time strong, Antoine Dupont left his family cocoon to join the great Auch. It was 2011, the destiny of the little French genius was launched.
In Gers, the interested party met other budding rugby players, several of whom would also go on to play for the French team (Alldritt, Bourgarit, and Jelonch). At 16, he joined the Espoir pole at Jolimont high school, an establishment renowned for welcoming the jewels of the southwest. In 2014, surrounded by a golden generation, he lost the final of the Crabos French championship against Racing 92. Faced with the setbacks of his club, which could no longer find a place at the top level, the kid decided to give new impetus to his career by joining Castres Olympique. At that time, he played at fly-half, his training position.
A straight trajectory followed. Impressed by Dupont’s talent, the Rolland – Darricarrère – Milhas trio threw him into the deep end the year he joined the club. At 17, on October 26, 2014, he played eleven minutes against Leinster in the European Cup.
The following year, Antoine Dupont discovered one of his first mentors: Christophe Urios. The former CO coach appreciated the kid, who came from lands like him. He praised his humility and his work ethic. This combination nourished his predispositions. He fixed him to the position of scrum-half, and for his last season at Pierre-Fabre, the Bigourdan exploded and grabbed playing time from Rory Kockott: 7 tries in 35 matches.
On March 8, 2017, taking advantage of a thigh injury to Maxime Machenaud, the Castres native was called up by Guy Novès. Forty-eight hours after his first training session with the French XV, he received his first selection at the Olympic Stadium in Rome against the Italian team on March 11, 2017. Seven days later, he made a remarkable entrance into play against Wales, with France winning 20 to 18 at the end of the longest international match in history, which ended after 20 minutes of added time. His performances caught the attention of several Top 14 teams, including Toulon and Stade Toulousain. He made a choice of heart by joining the Haut-Garonne entity.
He even goes beyond his dreams. After a sluggish first season with the Red and Blacks, and a serious knee injury, the year 2018-2019 is marked by his seal. He takes power in Toulouse, and in the French team, where his association at the hinge with Romain Ntamack works wonders.
With a shy and reserved nature, Antoine Dupont, with his new aura among his teammates and opponents, was appointed captain of the French XV in October 2021. He succeeded Charles Ollivon who had to decline due to injury. The breathtaking victory against the All Blacks (40-25), during this tour, established his role. He also took on this responsibility at Stade Toulousain.
Antoine Dupont’s fame extends far beyond the rugby sphere. Like Christophe Dominici, Frédéric Michalak and Sébastien Chabal, he has become a brand in his own right. In January 2023, he joined the Enfoirés gang. Four months later, he unveiled his statue at the Grévin Museum. Proof, if any were needed, that “Dupont Mania” is sweeping through French society.
Since his arrival in Toulouse, Antoine Dupont (1m74, 85 kg) has won the French championship 4 times (2019 and 2021, 2023, 2024). He has also won two European Cups (2021; 2024). With the French XV, he won the Grand Slam during the 2022 Six Nations Tournament. He has also collected individual distinctions: best player of the Six Nations Tournament (2020, 2022, 2023), best European player of the year (2021), and best player in the world (2021).
The two internationals met in an Armagnac-Bigorre selection at 15 years old. Coming from the region, the teenagers had an immediate friendly crush. At high school in Auch, they found themselves sharing a room in the boarding school. They strengthened their friendship. As they progressed, they made the same career choice by leaving Auch for Castres, then going, one after the other, to Stade Toulousain. Each time, they lived in shared accommodation. From the room in the Gers, to the shared one in Marcoussis, there is only one step.
For the press and the media, Antoine Dupont has become the “Minister of the Interior”, to illustrate his ability to support his teammates before scoring his tries. For his teammates in Bleus and at Stade Toulousain, the scrum-half is above all “Toto”.
After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate, the scrum-half validated a STAPS degree (sports management option) at Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse III). In parallel with his emergence in professional rugby, he continued his studies by obtaining a Master’s degree in sports management at the Toulouse School of Management (TSM).
According to various estimates, Antoine Dupont earns around €600,000 gross per year at Stade Toulousain. Brands are also fighting over the kid from Castelnau-Magnoac. He collaborates with Volvic, Adidas, Jacquemus, Givenchy, Parexlanko, IHG Hotels & Resorts.