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The Antoine Dupont naysayers have made a valid point after his Olympic gold
By Ben Smith
France superstar Antoine Dupont became an Olympic gold medalist in rugby sevens as France defeated Fiji 28-7, and in Dupont fashion he scored a double at Stade de France.
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The stunning success story in 7s came in a year where Dupont was playing 15s for Toulouse, before switching over late in the sevens’ season to represent France enough times to be eligible for the Olympics.
With Dupont on the SVNS circuit, France capture the Los Angeles event and the Grand Final in Madrid in the final event of the series.
Having secured an Olympic gold, the incredible achievement adds to his long list of achievements, in the 15s game and now 7s, to build a resume worthy of the “GOAT” debate.
The 2021 World Player of the Year in men’s 15s has now won four Top 14 titles, two European Cups, one Six Nations Grand Slam, one SVNS series and now one Olympic gold medal.
Dupont’s supporters came out in force to end the greatest of all time debate, with the Olympic gold the cherry on top for one of the best athletes the game has ever seen.
Gonna be real awkward for the haters when Dupont wins both the World Rugby Men’s 15s and 7s Player Of The Year awards, isn’t it?
— Josh Gardner (@joshgardner) July 27, 2024
Dupont is the best player of my lifetime, and I know I'm far from alone in thinking that. If he wins gold here, it's listed amongst his achievements when people have the GOAT debate for decades upon decades to come.
— Squidge Rugby (@SquidgeRugby) July 27, 2024
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People claiming Dupont isn’t the GOAT are just trying to be edgy and cool not to jump on the bandwagon. The guy is literally incredible, his impact on the 7s whilst dominating 15s in the same season is freakish. He’s been untouchable for years now
— Ruaridh Jackson (@ruaridh_jackson) July 27, 2024
If you think English rugby fans love Dupont because he’s from the Northern half of the globe, you are very much mistaken. We love him DESPITE him being French. That’s how good he is. #Dupont
— Old Sulians RFC (@Oldsuliansrfc) July 27, 2024
My opinions on rugby are on the record but what Antoine Dupont's just done in the Rugby Sevens final is the culmination of a remarkable, risky story, an almost word-perfect definition of what it is to be great, and the moment that France will feel the Olympics really started.
— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) July 27, 2024
Swapping to a different version of rugby in his spare time and scoring a gold-medal winning maul try against a team who have never lost an Olympic match. Antoine Dupont is the greatest to ever do it. Out here making the impossible look easy, like rugby’s own Ethan Hunt
— Patricia (@_PatriciaV_) July 27, 2024
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I know this is just the place for nuanced conversation so… is Antoine Dupont is the greatest rugby player ever?
He’s certainly the greatest player of my lifetime. Hands down.
— Jamie Phillips (@JNPhillips4) July 27, 2024
Not everyone is convince however, with many other 15s stars dominating in 7s making the feat “not unprecedented” while Dupont was a “cameo player” for his side.
How come when Leone Nakarawa was in his absolute prime as a truly world class game changing 15s player around 2014-18 and went to 7s and won Olympics (as a starter, not bench cameos) he hardly got any hype as one of the greats? Never even nominated for World Player of the Year.
— Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) July 27, 2024
The naysayers were able to raise a valid point in the debate over whether Dupont is the greatest of them all, and that is all his success has been in Europe.
Due to France’s league-focused approach which sees the national stars absent from July tours, Dupont has never travelled to Australia, New Zealand or South Africa and won a Test match.
He made his Test debut on the 2017 tour of South Africa and came off the bench in the second Test. France lost the series 3-0.
In 2021 France travelled to Australia to face the Wallabies, Dupont did not travel and France lost the series 2-1.
In 2025 the FFR have indicated again he will not tour to New Zealand to face the All Blacks on home turf.
One of the definitive traits of greatness in sports is the ability to win away from home.
Agree on Dupont's greatness in overall sense from 15s. But sorry, some hype just gone too far based on 7s. He was a cameo player at this Olympics. It is not unprecedented achievement to be great in both codes. There are other past 15s greats who went to 7s and dominated far more.
— Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) July 27, 2024
But never played, or won, a Test Match in South Africa or New Zealand (like the Irish have 😊). Don’t think he has ever been out of the Northern Hemisphere. 🤣
— Theo Botoulas (@TheoBotoulas) July 27, 2024
Never plays outside Europe
— Niel (@Niel76013379643) July 27, 2024
Nah he’s only highly rated in Europe
Done nothing of note against NZ or SA down under.
He’s decent – no doubt
But wouldn’t rate him best ever— JeeiJpn (@jeeijpn) July 27, 2024
If he does not tour in 2025 to New Zealand, Dupont’s next meaningful visit in the southern hemisphere could be the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia where the No 9 could kill two birds with one stone.
The “missing piece” to some on Dupont’s resume is the Rugby World Cup. France’s best team “in a generation” were bundled out of their home World Cup at the quarter-final stage last year.
Dupont will be 29-years-old in 2027 and is likely to still be one of the best players in the world, and France will likely be a favoured contender again.
M. Antoine DUPONT est un très grand joueur. Il a gagné 2 Champions Cup Européennes, plusieurs TOP 14, Le Grand Chelem des VI Nations, le Champion Seven de Madrid et maintenant la médaille d’Or des J.O. de PARIS 2024 ! Il a été élu meilleur joueur du Monde en 2021. Qui peut se targuer d’un tel C.V. ? Personne. Aujourd’hui, il est UN si n’est LE meilleur grand joueur du Monde. Même s’il lui manque la Coupe du Monde, ceux qui l’ont gagné n’ont pas un aussi important palmarès que lui. D’ailleurs, certains très grands joueurs comme Jonny WILKINSON, Gareth EDWARDS, Ardie SAVEA, Dan CARTER et bien d’autres le qualifient d’immense joueur ! Alors, pas de polémique, c’est LE MEILLEUR GRAND JOUEUR DU MONDE. MERCI.
It is simply nonsense to say that only a player who has a World Cup medal can be considered for greatness. Not suprisingly it is a posistion held by some SA and NZ players as it limits the pool top those nationalities (bar England’s win.)
Serge Blanco was beaten in the RWC final by NZ. Would anyone dare not call Serge Blanco a great?
Anyone watching Dupont in action in the 6N or Champions League or Test matches knows how great he is. In the Champions league final he personally won 4 jackal penalties, kicked 2 x 50:22s from behind rucks and kicked immensely apart from that.
That was what Toulouse needed, Dupont was the best at it.
To insist that Dupont can only be counted as great if a team he is in wins a RWC is plainly wrong.
Don’t really get the “bench cameo player” point. At a time the springboks “bomb squad” is praised, not sure why being a bench player is less valuable.
Moreover when you come out of the bench for the second half - hence playing half of the match - which is when your team manages to score more points.
Parisse was the best number 8 I’ve ever seen; O’Driscoll the best centre; and Lomu the player who had the biggest contemporary impact on his era of any player before or since. Not a RWC winner amongst them. Parisse’s teams only won a handful of matches, and the Irish didn’t achieve much in O’Driscoll’s era.
Dupont is, quite simply, the best player in terms of the combination of range of skillsets and athletic ability there has been.
Seems like a pretty narrow scope of reference to be calling him the GOAT. Yep, he’s undeniably a great player but let’s see how he goes outside of Europe.
He is a great player but Kolbe won the same Competitions as him bar the Olympic Gold but instead he won two World Cups
He needs to win and be the leading light in SA and NZ. World Cup success outside of Europe would achieve it as well. You can't cherry pick your path to greatness ask Nick Farr Jones, Fourie Du Preez and even Matt Dawson.
After all, if the claim is to be considered amongst “ The Greatest Of All Time “, then the resume has to at least match your contemporaries.
GOAT
As a South African I will say Dupont is the best talent I have ever seen. Or at least in the last 40 years. He is like a Joost and Fourie in one. Why are people so blind to giving credit where credit is due? Dupont has been the best player on the planet for 4 years straight now. Winning a world cup don’t mean much. I know many players that won 2 and will not ever feature in a top 10 of all time list. When we beat France in the QF last year Dupont was tbe best player on the pitch. So what does that tell you? Dupont can also turn the argument around and say, no olympic gold then no right to call yourself the best ever.
Greatest NH player at best 👀 like I’ve said before this is all too soon. let him complete his career & we’ll have a look again how he stacks up.
This does not mean that he is not a great player or not super talented or doesn’t do some amazing things on the pitch, but it also means he definitely ain’t the GOAT with his current career as it stands.