Let’s have a dream: world champion with the XV of France on October 28 in Saint-Denis, Antoine Dupont wins the gold medal with the Bleus du VII, at the end of the Paris Olympic Games, on July 27, 2024 at the same place. If the first part of the dream is far from certain, it seems to date more likely than the second. Nevertheless, according The Parisianthe scrum half of Stade Toulousain (26 years old) could well try his luck, by participating in the Olympic Games at home.
Negotiations between the French Federation (FFR), the National League (LNR), the club and Dupont’s entourage are underway to help the latter in this process.
A delicate change
Because going from XV to VII, the format thanks to which rugby has returned to the Games, since Rio 2016, is not easy. The VII offers a less choppy game, with repeated races. Moreover, even the best fifteen player in the world cannot land like a flower in an already well-established and successful collective (4th in the world this season, best ranking in its history).
The idea would be to participate in several stages of the world septist circuit, in the spring of 2024, even if it means sacrificing the Six Nations Tournament then the summer tour in Argentina with the selection led by Fabien Galthié, visibly open to the idea.