Antoine Dupont: French captain looking to inspire host nation to Rugby World Cup triumph

The posterboy of French rugby will hope to inspire his nation to a famous win on home soil

Dupont will captain France in the World Cup (Getty Images)

As the captain of the host side France, Antoine Dupont is one of the poster boys for the 2023 Rugby World Cup as he looks to guide his side to World Cup glory on home soil.

Dupont has long been one of the game’s most consistent stars, with his energetic play style and penchant for try-scoring excellence leading him to be named World Player of the Year in 2021.

The 26-year-old has already enjoyed a trophy-laden career for club and country but now sets his sights on the game’s biggest prize and one that has alluded Les Bleus for many years.

Despite his meteoric rise and global name, however, Dupont still remains connected to his hometown and local area. In 2021, alongside his brother, he bought an old rural estate in Castelnau-Magnoac - previously owned by Dupont’s grandparents - and renovated it into the Dupont Hotel which sits at the heart of the town in southwestern France.

Born in Lannemazan, Dupont moved to Castelnau-Magnoac when he was four where he joined local rugby team Magnoac FC.

From an early age, the scrum-half’s talents were evident to all those around him. Such was his immense talent, as a youngster he was sometimes forbidden from scoring tries in youth tournaments in an effort to level the playing field for his opposition.

At age 15, Dupont would move on, joining Auch’s famous youth set-up. Four of France’s World Cup squad - including Dupont - came through the program at some point in their career.

Just three years later, as Dupont’s stock continued to rise, he would transfer again, joining Pro 14 side Castres after Auch got relegated. He would spend three seasons at the club, becoming a mainstay of the top-division side and soon attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in France.

One of those clubs, Toulouse, would make the move, announcing in November 2016 that Dupont would join the club at the start of next season after scrum-half had further demonstrated his world-class potential with five tries at the 2016 U-20 World Rugby Championship.

Dupont captained France to Six Nations glory in 2022 (Getty Images)

In his six full seasons with Toulouse, Dupont has enjoyed tremendous success, winning three Top 14 titles as well as the European Champions Cup in 2021. However, it has been in the blue shirt of the national team that he has truly made his mark as one of the game’s best.

A year after his first appearance for the French U-20 side, Dupont would then receive a call-up to the national side during the 2017 Six Nations. He made his debut as a late replacement in the 72nd minute against Italy as France won 40-18.

In 2020, Dupont claimed his first Player of the Championship award at the Six Nations. Despite France falling short - coming second to England - they would taste success just two years later in 2022 as the stand-in captain would lead his side to a Grand Slam victory and their first Six Nations triumph since 2010, picking up his second Player of the Championship award in the process.

Later that year, Dupont was made permanent captain before becoming only the second person to win three Six Nations Player of the Championship awards after another impressive tournament in 2023.

With stellar performances on the pitch and big sponsorship endorsements from the likes of Adidas, Peugeot and Tissot coming off the pitch, Dupont has established himself as one of the highest-earning and most-recognised players in world rugby.

As the 26-year-old prepares to lead his country out in the World Cup for the first time, Dupont and French fans all over the country will be hoping for World Cup glory to add another milestone to his star-studded career.