Latest news with #AntoineDupont
News24
16-07-2025
- Sport
- News24
France star Dupont to miss November Test against Springboks
France captain Antoine Dupont said in an interview published on Tuesday he aims to return to playing after his country's November Tests. The 28-year-old scrumhalf suffered a serious knee injury on 8 March and will be sidelined for games against Rugby World Cup winners South Africa, Fiji and Australia. 'We'll be eight months on from my injury,' the Toulouse halfback told French newspaper L'Equipe. 'I think it's a reasonable amount of time. I hope everything will go well between now and then. 'I'm not sure it would be very intelligent to rush, even if it's hard to miss international games.'
LeMonde
15-07-2025
- Sport
- LeMonde
France's Antoine Dupont to miss November Tests with injury
France captain Antoine Dupont said in an interview published on Tuesday he aims to return to playing after his country's November Tests. The 28-year-old scrum-half suffered a serious knee injury on March 8 and will be sidelined for games against Rugby World Cup winners South Africa, Fiji and Australia. "We'll be eight months on from my injury," the Toulouse half-back told French newspaper L'Equipe. "I think it's a reasonable amount of time. I hope everything will go well between now and then. I'm not sure it would be very intelligent to rush, even if it's hard to miss international games."
LeMonde
05-07-2025
- Sport
- LeMonde
All Blacks vs. France reunion dampened by French rugby stars's absence
The match-up is enough to thrill any rugby fan. On Saturday, July 5, the All Blacks are hosting the French men's rugby team in Dunedin, New Zealand, for the first of three highly anticipated test matches (at 9:05 am Paris time). The New Zealanders, who have suffered three consecutive defeats to France – including the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France (27-13) – have every reason to seek revenge. Yet, as the teams prepare to meet again, a mix of disappointment and resignation has prevailed among fans of the silver fern squad. As it does every summer, the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR, the French Rugby Federation) has chosen to rest its so-called "premium" players – its star athletes – after a grueling season, fielding a largely overhauled squad for the summer tour. Facing a line-up widely described as a "B team" or even as "experimental," the All Blacks know that any potential victory will be seen as less impressive given the absence of key French players like Antoine Dupont, Damian Penaud, Thomas Ramos and Grégory Alldritt. And in New Zealand, frustration has grown over this devalued fixture – a situation fully acknowledged by the French staff. "For the past five or six years, France has operated this way," explained Abdelatif Benazzi, vice president of the FFR in charge of international affairs. "We field the players in the best form, period. This is by no means a lack of respect toward our opponents." Structural crisis The French decision is linked to an overloaded schedule for Top 14 international players. Yet it has caused tension because these matches hold significance in New Zealand, where each test match is considered a national event that is vital for the financial stability of local rugby; in other words, this decision concerns far more than sports alone. Although New Zealand remains a global benchmark in rugby development and performance, it has faced a structural crisis. Despite record revenues, New Zealand Rugby (NZR), the national federation, posted a net loss of €10 million in 2024. These results "again [demonstrate] that the high fixed-cost structure we live within is not sustainable," acknowledged Mark Robinson, director general of NZR, speaking to public broadcaster RNZ. In this context, the All Blacks' international tours and their global image are essential financial levers. The arrival of the prestigious French team had been expected to boost ticket sales, television rights, merchandising and commercial partnerships, but that has become challenging with the absence of France's star players. New Zealand's press has made its outrage clear. "NZR officials are livid about it, as it devalues a mega series, and their ability to market it," journalist Will Kelleher said on X. NZR has been forced to scale back its ambitions: Say farewell to Auckland's iconic Eden Park and its 50,000 seats. The matches against France's "B team" will take place at smaller venues, such as Dunedin's 30,000-seat stadium, on Saturday. New Zealand officials had even considered moving one of the games to the United States – a rapidly growing market where the All Blacks have been conducting increased commercial operations – but the FFR opposed the idea, "for the players' health," confirmed Benazzi. "Unfortunately, we can't do any better," French head coach Fabien Galthié said at a press conference Thursday, adding that he "understood" the New Zealand criticism – especially as France is the "only nation" to rest its key players during the summer tour, he pointed out. This decision is the result of negotiations with France's National Rugby League over the release of internationals; meanwhile, the international federation, World Rugby, is remaining on the sidelines. The organization considers that these matches, which fall outside its direct area of authority, do not require its intervention. 'Protecting the players' Beyond the tensions it has provoked, this controversy has highlighted the divide between the two rugby models. In the southern hemisphere, national federations maintain control over the entire system − from clubs to national teams − with a clear priority: fielding the best players for the national team at every major event. This strategy often comes at the expense of clubs, in stark contrast to the power of the Top 14, which is widely regarded as the world's strongest league. In Europe, where seasons stretch for nearly 10 months, domestic competitions take precedence, and players benefit from collective agreements that strictly regulate their time on the field. "We don't have an all-powerful federation. We have an autonomous professional league and a federation responsible for internationals," said Benazzi. "Our first responsibility is to protect the players" – by ensuring that they do not play more than 25 matches per season (or 2,000 minutes of game time), a limit set for those traveling to New Zealand. One year after their tour was overshadowed by off-field controversies in South America – including racist remarks from Melvyn Jaminet and rape allegations against Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou – France will face, on Saturday, one of the greatest challenges in world rugby: taking on the All Blacks on their home turf. The hope is that this symbolic showdown will not turn into a missed opportunity.
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Worth bearing in mind hot-favourite ABs have lost past three to France
Both the All Blacks and the Otago public might want to consider the perils of complacency as they gear up for tomorrow night's test against France at Forsyth Barr Stadium. There has, fairly, been plenty of noise around the French sending a weakened team to our shores for a three-test series. And it is, for all the bluff being muttered about the depth of French rugby, a significantly weakened team. There is no Antoine Dupont — the peerless halfback is injured on top of his usual reluctance to play in the southern hemisphere. There is also no Romain Ntamack, no Damian Penaud, no Thomas Ramos, no Gregory Alldritt, no Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and no Thibaud Flament. Remarkably, just two players — captain Gael Fickou and winger Gabin Villiere — remain in the squad from the French team that started the November test against the All Blacks. Straightforward 50-point victory then, eh? Hmm. Not to get all Chicken Little about the situation, because facts are facts, but All Blacks fans might want to keep a few things in mind. The first — and I am absolutely certain most supporters have either forgotten or blocked this out — is that France have won their past three tests against the All Blacks. All three of those clashes were in Paris, granted. But a losing streak as much as three against any opposition makes grim reading for any New Zealand rugby team, and there should be some intense motivation to ensure the streak does not reach four. Secondly, it is a sad reality that the All Blacks have underwhelmed under the Dunedin roof in recent times. They were given a heck of a fright by an average English team last year — in Scott Robertson's first game as coach — before escaping with a 16-15 win. They also laboured to a 23-20 win over a depleted Wallabies team in Dunedin in 2023, and of course they were beaten 23-12 by the Irish at the stadium in 2022. "Underwhelming" was also, broadly speaking, the adjective most commonly used to describe Robertson's first year as coach. The All Blacks lost four tests last year and seemed to struggle to establish their identity in the post-Ian Foster era. More is expected this year, and it would be nice if the tone could be set in the Dunedin test, the first for the Dave Gallaher Trophy. While Robertson — who, to be fair, has consistently said he has never known a bad French team, and that they are dangerous when under-estimated — has shown boldness with some of his selections, he has rewarded players for form. Highlanders hero Fabian Holland completes the most fantastic fairytale, and Otago No 8 Christian Lio-Willie is rewarded for his consistency with the Crusaders. There will be much interest in how Rieko Ioane performs back on the wing, whether this could be the start of Billy Proctor cementing his place in the No13 jersey, and what a radically rejigged loose forward trio can do. This might — again, not to be seen as someone suggesting the sky will fall down — also be an important night for Otago rugby fans. It seems highly possible this will be the last All Blacks test for a while. Christchurch's fancy new house opens next year, and there will be fewer home tests in both 2026 and 2027. Make the most of it tonight, just in case.
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
All Blacks countdown: The French Connection
Theo Attissogbe for the France XV. Photo:All Blacks v France Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 5 July Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Live blog updates on RNZ Analysis - Ever since it was announced that France would be the All Blacks' first opponents of the season, there's been plenty chat about whether they'll be a threat or a classic French Farce. One thing is for certain: no one in this part of the world really knows much about them. That's due to the fact that while coach Fabien Galthié's side is missing players from the Top 14 final, we can't watch the competition on TV here anyway. Galthié has acknowledged just how much of an uphill battle this will be, telling Midi Olympique that "This tour is the toughest we've ever played with this French team. So I sent this message to each of the selected players: 'We have a challenge that seems impossible. Do you want to be part of it?'." Rugby writer James Harrington is based in Castres, one of France's rugby hotbeds, agrees with Galthié's assessment but says that the squad that has arrived in New Zealand isn't a complete bunch of scrubs. "Only three players have 50 plus caps, and another two have more than 20," said Harrington, who highlighted the Antoine Dupont-less halfback group as ones to watch. Nolan Le Garrec celebrates his try during the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between France and England. Photo:"Nolan Le Garrec (who scored the World Rugby Try of the Year in 2024) has just finished a big season with Racing 92, scoring 269 points with 14 tries. Baptiste Jauneau is stocky and feisty like Dupont and works so hard. Kicking's not his strongest suit, but it's developing." Up front there's a couple of interesting stories, with Paul Mallez the first ever player from ProD2 side Provence to be called up to the national squad and Georgian-born fellow prop from Perpignan Giorgi Beria capped last year on a similarly understrength tour of Argentina. "The French second tier is a notoriously tough scrum school, especially for front rows, while Beria was in the 2019 France U20 squad that won the WR U20 Championship." said Harrington. "I reckon NZ fans will like Lyon's Mickaël Guillard. Mostly plays second row after stepping up as cover for the injured Emmanuel Meafou but pops up across the loose forwards from time to time. He hauled in English winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (who scored against the All Blacks last year), who's no slouch." The backs provide the easiest to find highlights, particularly Pau wing Theo Attissogbe. The 20-year-old was part of France' 2023 U-20 side that convincingly beat New Zealand and went on to hammer Ireland in that year's championship final. Attissogbe also scored three tries in two games in this year's Six Nations, but another one to watch is a midfielder who was also eligible to represent England. Emilien Gailleton. Photo:"Emilien Gailleton is a seriously rapid 21-year-old, born in Croydon, just south of London to a French dad and English mum. He's currently with Pau - but will be an early target for recruiters from July 1, when he officially enters the last year of his current deal and they can legally talk to him. Toulouse, La Rochelle and Toulon are all reportedly very interested. He's scored eight tries in his last six outings for Pau." While there were high hopes that the weekend's dramatic Top 14 final concluding the French domestic season would result in the release of some big name players, unfortunately that's not the case. Toulouse's Pierre-Louis Barassi and Joshua Brennan, and Bordeleau-Begles' Pierre Bochaton, Nicolas Depoortere, and Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer are all joining the squad. But while they are all solid club players, it's a far cry from the likes of Romain Ntamack, Gregory Aldritt, Thomas Ramos and Damian Penaud. It's those players, along with Dupont, who have tormented the All Blacks into three straight losses over the last four seasons. Their absence, along with many others, are why it'll be a minor miracle if that streak continues this weekend.
