‘Antoine Dupont is definitely the best rugby player I have seen’ – fans awestruck by Toulouse captain’s mindblowing performance
Toulouse captain Antoine Dupont after the Champions Cup final.
Toulouse captain Antoine Dupont has received widespread praise for his epic performance in their Champions Cup final victory over Leinster.
The scrum-half was at his best in the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, steering his team to a 31-22 win and a historic sixth Champions Cup title.
The 27-year-old Toulouse star was named Player of the Match for his efforts after winning four turnovers, kicking two 50:22s and gaining over 50 running metres.
Dupont on different level
Regarded by many as the best player in the world, Dupont’s performance went viral on social media as onlookers gushed over his shift.
It was an all-court showing from Dupont with his excellence at the breakdown notably catching the attention.
“Antoine Dupont adding jackling to his game makes him scarily close to overtaking Gethin Jenkins as the most complete player of all time,” Squidge Rugby posted.
He also sparked the debate on whether he is the greatest scrum-half and even player of all-time.
“Never thought I’d live to see a better scrum half than Gareth Edwards. Antoine Dupont bestriding Spurs’ state-of-the-art stadium like a colossus makes me wonder. Magnificent from Toulouse,” journalist Peter Jackson wrote.
On a similar note, Rugby Inside Line wrote that he is “potentially the best to ever grace a rugby field.”
Toulouse win extra-time thriller against Leinster to claim SIXTH Champions Cup title
Thala Msutu compared the half-back’s performance to some of the game’s greats.
“Antoine Dupont kicked like Fourie du Preez. Broke tackles and created like Brian O’Driscoll. Defended like a hungry Thierry Dusautoir and made turnovers like prime Bam Bam Pocock. Absolutely insane by him,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, there was no doubts or a debate for Irish writer Murray Kinsella.
“Antoine Dupont is definitely the best rugby player I have seen in my life. A reminder that Dupont is still 27. Just heading into his prime!” he posted.
Wallabies great Matt Giteau added: “Unreal game. DuPont on different level.”
Kayser and Ojo hail Dupont
Former France hooker Benjamin Kayser said that it’s “hard to argue” against Dupont being the best player in the world.
“His highlights [against Leinster] would take the whole day,” he said on ITV’s coverage.
“He’s done absolutely everything today, the ruck, the animation, he just chases that inside line like nobody else.
“Then he just delivered from that moment for 100 minutes and it was just mind-blowing, take an absolute bow.
“It was a complete performance – other than scrummaging and throwing in the lineout – he pretty much did everything else.
“He out chases Willis to prevent that try from being scored, then the four turnovers and when everybody’s engine rate is absolutely empty, he pulls those two 50:22s out of nowhere with lucidity, the calmness and the execution it’s like a Monday morning practice for him.”
Fellow pundit Topsy Ojo said that Dupont’s involvements were probably the difference between the two sides.
“It’s the quality of the output and what it results in, so those four turnovers, where were they and what did they result in. Those 19 kicks, I’d probably flip a coin: half were left foot and half were right foot. So he sets up for a box kick off his left turns and does it on the right and gets equal distance off both,” he said.
“Every time he’s involved in something, he makes the game-changing moments. We talk about the margins, that’s probably the difference for all those outputs he had in involvement – all of them were game-defining. They were big moments. They were influential for his team, some bigger than others b t across the board; when you add them up, that’s probably the reason why Toulouse got over the line.”
