Olympic hero Antoine Dupont returns to Top 14 action on Saturday in what Toulouse coach Ugo Mola hailed as a welcome boost for the struggling champions.
Dupont makes his comeback against Clermont two-and-a-half months after guiding France to the Olympic rugby sevens gold medal. And Mola believes it will have an impact on the entire team after back-to-back defeats.
“[What] he gives to all his teammates through the trust he evokes, what he generates… we must not underestimate this.”
Dupont will make his first appearance in the Toulouse jersey since their crushing Top 14 final victory against Bordeaux-Begles in June.
“The first person to be happy about this return is obviously him. After two and a half months, he was a little fed up,” said his teammate Dimitri Delibes.
“It gives the group a bit of a boost. He is one of the leaders of the team. He always has the right word, always the right advice.”
Since the 27-year-old’s Olympic success on home soil, Dupont was named the Top 14’s player of the season for 2023-24.
In his post-Olympics break, he spent time in the US meeting Argentina football superstar Lionel Messi in Miami as well as NBA star LeBron James in California and visited the Los Angeles Chargers’ NFL set-up.
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His return is timely for Toulouse after consecutive defeats against Bordeaux-Begles (16-12), the first at home since February 2022, then a 28-23 reverse at Castres last weekend.
In Dupont’s absence, the record 23-time French champions have started the new season sluggishly and are fifth in the Top 14 table with three wins from their opening five games.
Mola praised Dupont’s dedication for training several times with Toulouse during his time off as the scrumhalf also prepares for France’s November Tests against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.
He said Dupont was constantly “pushing the cursor” and was aware that he would be pilloried for any “lacklustre” performances.
“He knows that and he works accordingly. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why he doesn’t hang out too much on holiday,” Mola added.
Versatile Argentine international back Juan Cruz Mallia also returns to the southern side.
“It’s good to see the two again. They bring that confidence and that little extra,” said lock Joshua Brennan.
Clermont fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta was not relishing coming up against Dupont.
“He couldn’t have waited another week? We don’t have any luck,” the Argentine quipped on French radio. His side are sixth in the table, one point behind Toulouse.
Leaders Bordeaux-Begles host Perpignan, while second-placed La Rochelle are at Bayonne and struggling Racing 92 play host to third-placed Toulon.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
