The captain is hit. His World Cup is on hold. Antoine Dupont, scrum half of the French XV, best player in the world in 2021, suffers from a “maxillo-zygomatic fracture”, the Blues staff indicated this Friday morning. The French captain was injured the day before a match won largely (96-0) against Namibia.
“Following the match between France and Namibia, which took place on September 22, 2023 in Marseille, Antoine Dupont, the captain of the XV of France, suffered a maxillo-zygomatic fracture. A specialist surgical opinion was requested to precisely define the duration of unavailability. Antoine Dupont remains with the France group,” indicated the XV of France in this press release.
It is therefore a fracture on these facial bones from which the captain of the Blues suffers. A diagnosis which could have sent him directly home, as it seems difficult to come back from such an injury before six weeks and the end of the World Cup (October 28). But the staff of the XV of France maintains a meager hope. “The additional surgical opinion” aims to see if there is a chance that “Super Dupont” will be postponed for the possible semi-finals, on October 20 or 21.
Until then, against Italy on October 6 for the last group match, and for the possible quarter-final the following week, Antoine Dupont is already absent. A huge void for the Blues who lose their best player and captain for a month. And maybe more.
