France captain Antoine Dupont is set to take a break from the 15-a-side game in order to focus on sevens in the build up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris; the decision is set to be announced on Monday
Last Updated: 15/11/23 5:59pm
France’s Antoine Dupont is set to announce his intention to miss the Six Nations in order to prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games
France captain Antoine Dupont is set to miss next year’s Six Nations in order to prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The French rugby federation (FFR) told AFP the news on Wednesday, with the decision coming just a month after the disappointment of an early World Cup exit.
Dupont, 27, is set to miss the Six Nations, held between February 2 – March 16 next year in order to participate in legs of the World Rugby seven-a-side circuit, now known as SVNS.
His club Toulouse, the FFR and Dupont are set to hold a press conference on Monday, 250 days from the start of the Games, when they are expected to announce Dupont’s intentions.
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Members of the France squad and head coach Fabien Galthie criticise the standard of refereeing following their quarter-final defeat to South Africa
Dupont will join France’s sevens squad in January before SVNS events in Vancouver, Canada on February 23-24 and Los Angeles on March 2-3.
Scrum-half Dupont’s most recent 15-a-side appearance for France was last month’s agonising World Cup quarter-final defeat to eventual winners South Africa at the Stade de France.
The stadium in northern Paris will also host next July’s sevens competitions, for men and women, at the Olympics.
As far back as last December, Dupont opened the door to playing in the event, which first featured in the Olympics in 2016.
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Despite thrashing Namibia 96-0 for their biggest win ever, the Rugby World Cup hosts will be concerned to have seen Antoine Dupont go off in the second half with an injury
“It’s highly motivating,” Dupont told RTL.
“It’s incredible when you see the enthusiasm it can create. There is a desire from my side to put things in place for me to participate.
“It will be a discussion between the different coaching staffs,” he added.
A host of other leading 15-a-side players have featured at past Olympic Games including South Africa winger Cheslin Kolbe and former New Zealand centre Sonny Bill Williams, who have both won the World Cup twice.
Fiji have won the two men’s gold medals since seven-a-side rugby was introduced into the Olympics with the longer format of the sport having last featured in 1924.
The absence of Dupont in the Six Nations will force France head coach Fabien Galthie to name a new captain and starting scrum-half for the Six Nations, which they start against Ireland on February 2.