Antoine Dupont has returned “higher than ever” to XVs after successful Olympic sevens gold in the summertime, says France flanker Francois Cros.
Scrum-half Dupont, 27, has been named captain for France’s opening Autumn Nations Collection recreation towards Japan on Saturday, in his first recreation in worldwide XVs since his aspect’s devastating dwelling Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat by South Africa final October.
Having spent 2024 specializing in sevens, the previous World Participant of the Yr arrange a attempt to scored two himself as France beat Fiji 28-7 to win their first gold of the Paris Olympics in July.
“It was one thing unbelievable for him and French rugby,” Cros mentioned.
“Since he is come again, after having break, he is higher than what he was earlier than.
“So it is clearly a pleasure to have him again.”
After an prolonged break, Dupont returned final month and scored a 13-minute hat-trick off the bench for Toulouse in a 48-14 victory over Clermont.
Regardless of lacking this 12 months’s Six Nations and France’s summer season tour of Argentina to concentrate on studying the shortened format, he continued enjoying for his membership aspect Toulouse when potential, starring as his aspect gained the Investec Champions Cup in Could.
He will probably be partnered by Toulouse team-mate Thomas Ramos, who begins at fly-half instead of common 10 Matthieu Jalibert, with Dupont taking again the captaincy from quantity eight Gregory Alldritt for the match towards Eddie Jones’ aspect.
“The query did not even have to be requested, it is pure to us for him to be captain,” Cros mentioned.
“Since he is come again, his requirements have been the identical if not higher. There was little question about that topic.”
