Rugby. Antoine Dupont (Toulouse): “I will never stop learning and evolving”
Through Clement Mazella
Published on
News: Antoine, in the name of all the colleagues, bravo for your title of best player in the world …
Antoine Dupont: Thank you. Of course, it is always a pleasure to receive this kind of trophies. I thanked and I thank my teammates again today because I also owe them a lot.
We did not feel that this trophy, received the day before the match in Cardiff, you disturbed. You signed a new big game …
A D: I don’t know if there is a cause and effect link between this title and the match the next day. Either way, it’s not very important. I was especially happy with the result and the offensive bonus gleaned during this first day. This launches us well in the competition.
Best player of the Top 14, best player of the Champions Cup, best player in the world, double Top 14 / European Cup: can we say that 2021 was YOUR year and the most successful personally?
A D: When I do the retro of the year … It sounds pretty crazy. Factually, this is my best season. And the most rewarded, that’s for sure (laughs).
🏉🗣️ Antoine Dupont: “I will repeat myself again, but I thank my teammates, because I owe them this trophy for the best player in the world a lot” @StadeToulousain @ Dupont9A pic.twitter.com/ZCbrZTaEft
– Rugby News (@acturugby) December 17, 2021
He also voted best player in the world (in 2003, Editor’s note), Did Fabien Galthié have any words for you?
A D: He congratulated me, yes. On a asked enough about it. Maybe more the next time we meet again. We can talk about his experience on the subject, and that can be interesting.
In recent matches, we have seen that you are more and more targeted and pressed by the opposing defenses. How to try to get out of this? Should we review our style of play?
A D: I’ve been reading articles for several years about teams going or targeting me. It’s not something I dwell on more than that. In any case, if the opposing defenses linger too much on me, it will open doors around. I am not sure this is the right solution. Me, I got used to all this, and I do not take the lead.
If the opposing defenses linger too much on me, it will open doors around. I am not sure this is the right solution.
Your game has evolved lately, especially on foot or in defense. When you analyze your game, what else do you need to improve?
A D: I would find it difficult to name a priority axis. It is on the whole, while keeping the fundamentals such as passing, all technical aspects, kicking, reading the game situation, but also the approach to matches, leadership, management, approach from position # 9 … I learn every weekend and in every game I play. I will never stop learning and evolving.
You are punctually captain in Toulouse and in the French team. Are you feeling more and more comfortable in this role?
A D: The more I live in this situation, the more I feel at ease and take my marks. From my position, I have a leadership role and I always have this approach when I prepare a meeting. This is a situation in which I still have progress to make and where I have to learn.
Antoine, a word on this European Cup where many matches have just been postponed due to the Covid-19 …
A D: This is not obvious. We are moving forward a little visually, and we hope that it can be played as normally as possible. We feel that there is not necessarily, that this is not necessarily right, because things depend on the health context, and not on us. We do not really know where we are going now. I think that all the actors must respond to the desire to go to the end of the competition. On will find solutions for. Will they be fair and acceptable to everyone? That, on will …
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