Three years after being named the best player in the world at XV, Antoine Dupont could be so again this year. But at 7. The captain of the French XV, winner of the All Blacks on Saturday evening (30-29), is among the three men named by World Rugby for the title of best player of the year at 7, announces the international body this Monday. He appears in the trio of finalists with his partner Aaron Grandidier and Irishman Terry Kennedy.
The Toulouse scrum half owes this first distinction to the Olympic title won this summer with the Blues at the Paris Olympics. The French rugby star, upgraded to 7 with a view to these home Games, signed a breathtaking final against Fiji, with two tries and a crazy breakthrough to offer a decisive pass to Grandidier. He also contributed to the first victory of the French team on the world circuit in 19 years, with a coronation in Los Angeles, and to the victory in the final of the world circuit at the beginning of June in Madrid.
But if he competes for the title of best player in the world at 7, Antoine Dupont is absent from the list of players nominated for the same distinction at XV, probably paying for his voluntary absence from the Six Nations Tournament. The category is dominated by the South Africans, world champions last year, winners of the Rugby championship ahead of New Zealand, Argentina and Australia this year and authors of a hitch-free autumn tour for the moment. Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit, winner in 2019, represent the Springboks. Caelan Dorris, who contributed to Ireland’s Grand Slam, completes the quartet.
Bourdon-Sansus, Le Garrec and Ménager among the nominees
Other representatives of the French teams appear in this first World Rugby list. Scrum half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus is among the four nominated for the title of best XV player of the year. Her teammate Marine Ménager is tipped for the title of the best try of the year against Canada in September, just like Nolann Le Garrec in March against England in the Six Nations Tournament.
The winners will be announced on Sunday November 24 in Monaco. Internet users can vote for the most beautiful male and female essay of the year.
