Antoine Dupont set to return to South Africa for first time in eight years

By SABC Sport
5th January 2025

France captain Antoine Dupont looks set to add to his single appearance in the southern hemisphere as Toulouse head to South Africa to face the Sharks.

Toulouse employ many of the finest France internationals with the likes of Dupont, Thomas Ramos, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Francois Cros, and Romain Ntamack to name just a few.

However, the above-mentioned stars were all rested this weekend in the Top 14 for the trip to La Rochelle to tackle Ronan O'Gara's charges - an indication that they will all be back in action next week for the Champions Cup against the Sharks in Durban.

This not only means that we will see what is likely to be the closest thing to a France v Springboks rematch for the first time since the Rugby World Cup, but it will also likely mark only the second time that Dupont will play rugby outside of Europe and Japan.

The brilliant scrumhalf made his Test debut for France back in 2017, coming off the bench for Les Bleus in the 37-15 loss to the Springboks coincidently also at Kings Park Stadium.

Those 27 minutes on debut against the Boks remains the only match in which Dupont has played in the southern hemisphere, with the 2019 Rugby World Cup being the only other time he has played outside of Europe, having missed France's mid-year tours to Australia, Argentina and New Zealand previously.

Unless the Investec Champions Cup fixtures fall a similar way later this season or next, Dupont is unlikely to notch up more minutes beyond next weekend in the southern hemisphere until the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

This is because he is a premium France international player and as per an agreement with the French Rugby Federation and the LNR - the governing body of French rugby clubs - he will be rested for Les Bleus' Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand next year.

In order to have his top stars fit for the third round of the Champions Cup, Toulouse boss Ugo Mola fielded an incredibly youthful-looking team against La Rochelle.

Prop Cyril Baillie, flanker Anthony Jelonch and hooker Julien Marchand were the only regular French internationals who featured in the matchday 23, the former making a long-awaited return from injury.