Paris – The captain of the XV of France Antoine Dupont, head of the gondola of French rugby, has made an Olympic medal in rugby sevens next summer his new objective to forget the failure of the World Cup at home.
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From January, the scrum half from Toulouse (27 years old, 52 caps) will join the group preparing the rugby event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, therefore giving up on the Six Nations Tournament as well as part of of his club season.
“ For any sports fan, the Olympic Games are legendary. It is perhaps a little less so for rugby fans, where we have less of this appetite since the sport has only recently been available. Despite that, being able to host this sporting event in France is going to be an incredible celebration. Being able to be part of it and, above all, being able to claim an Olympic medal, is a very motivating challenge. “, he justified.
Before thinking about dislodging Fiji, gold medalists at the Rio Olympics in 2016 then in Tokyo in 2021, “Toto” will have to prove himself on the world Sevens circuit, particularly during the Vancouver stages (February 23-25 ) and Los Angeles (March 2-3).
Without him, the Blues lost two of their three group matches in Dubai at the start of the season. He will bring them all his ambition and his desire to erase the premature exit of the XV of France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup against the future South African winners (29-28).
This Olympic medal, the superstar of French rugby, who has won almost everything with Stade Toulouse and the French team, is a dream. But he will have to convince the general manager of the VII of France Christophe Reigt and the coach Jérôme Daret.
“ It is certain that there will be a time of adaptation necessary », recognized Dupont, voted best fifteen player in the world in 2021.
A cross on the Tournament
“ Antoine has a very rugby attitude: he doesn’t want to be parachuted. He knows that, in a rugby team, you earn your place », Commented the president of the French Rugby Federation Florian Grill.
“ He’s a superb gondola head, even if we will have to do without him in the Six Nations Tournament », added the leader. “ But frankly, what a beautiful image for rugby sevens and for the country!»
His few weeks of preparation will be essential for Dupont to familiarize himself with the Sevens game, where the spaces are larger and the races, in fact, more numerous and intense. The format of the competitions (14 minutes, six matches per weekend) as well as its repositioning will also require adjustment time for the scrum half.
Given the physical and tactical profile of the Toulouse player, this adaptation does not seem insurmountable. “ He just has to keep his game, his qualities and his skills. It will be more of an adaptation in the running game, with different depth, longer passes and a little more controlled defense », Explained to AFP international winger Gabin Villière, who took the opposite path a few years ago.
” VSIt’s more about the aspects of the game in general that he will have to adapt to, but, individually, I think he will have to keep what he does in rugby union like playing his duels, trying to play after contact or even find spaces », added the Toulonnais.
Fabien Galthié’s Blues will launch the next Six Nations Tournament in front of Ireland on February 2 in Marseille. Without their talisman, therefore.
For Paris-2024, the opportunity is great to add a big name to the line-up of stars who will come to chase the medals from July 26 to August 11. By hanging an Olympic medal around his neck, Antoine Dupont would become even more part of the legend of French rugby.