We hope for his family that Fabien Galthié is better at making surprises at birthdays than he is when he is a coach. The boss of the XV of France announced during the week that he was keeping “a trade secret” about the hinge. Who, Lucu or Dupont, would occupy the fly-half position against South Africa after Romain Ntamack's injury against Fiji last week?
But, when he revealed the composition of the team which would face the Boks, with Lucu at number 9 and Dupont at number 10, we all said to ourselves that the coach was offering us a little bluff, given the influence of the Toulouse player in the scrum and the "habit" of the Bordeaux player to play at the opening in his club when it is necessary to compensate for the injuries (that is to say often) of those in charge of the position. The French followers were therefore not surprised to see the two men exchange their roles, unlike Rassie Erasmus.
“We didn't know if Antoine Dupont was going to play 9 or 10, that made it difficult for us,” explained the Springboks coach after the match his team lost (21-19). He's a brilliant player, it's hard to plan something against him. » So hard that the captain of the Blues had a great match against the South Africans. A very great match. “He brought out THE match,” Galthié even praised. He wanted to bring out THE match, and he did it. »
Probably even his best match with the rooster embroidered on his heart in a long time, at least since his major injury against Ireland in March 2025, which kept him away from the field for many months. Since then, he had only played with the Blues in the last VI Nations Tournament, without having put out a major performance as he was accustomed to, still a little on the reserve. He therefore kept his formal clothes for this clash against the Springboks.
However, the conditions were not ideal, with this improvised hinge with the bald divine. But everything went pretty well. “They only had a forty-minute training session and a ten-minute team run to put it together,” Galthié commented. The two put out a big, big match. They did a lot of work on the defensive line, we didn't have the impression that there were any players missing in the position. And above all, they gave a lot of energy to the team. »
And air, in the slightly hot moments. Even if he missed one or two shots, Antoine Dupont played a perfect score, which regularly allowed the Blues to “easily” leave their camp. Thanks to its enormous pumps, the XV of France was able to gain 543 m on foot, like on this superb 50-22 from the left please in the first period or on this decisive pass for Louis Bielle-Biarrey, on the third French try.
After a breakthrough from Peato Mauvaka, the Toulouse scrum-half delivers a low kick to the Bordeaux winger, who is nevertheless very far away, winning. “Antoine, he knows that as soon as he breaks through, I’m there on the left,” LBB smiled after the match. He had this knee injury, but it’s true that since the start of the season and at this rally, he is at his best level, he is thriving. We know the quality of the player and everything he can bring to the team. But when he is like that, in attack, in defense, in management, it is a pleasure and he is a great architect (of victory). »
As Bielle-Biarrey pointed out, Dupont was not only decisive when the Blues had the ball. He was also important defensively, as in this action in the 64th minute where the Blues were in great pain after a series of scrums and he managed to keep Peter-Steph du Toit upright to take him into the goal and recover an unexpected dismissal.
He also has around ten tackles to his credit and an active participation in keeping the French defensive line solid in the final minutes when the Boks were pushing to win the match. It was even he who threw himself like a man dying of hunger to recover the ball thrown a little haphazardly by Jesse Kriel after a huge buffer from Bielle-Biarrey. All on an action where he had already knocked down a South African.
“I tell him sometimes that he’s a third row, but he doesn’t really like it,” Fabien Galthié laughed. He was a good third row today (Friday), a little 9, a little 10 and a little 6. Hooker, he doesn't want to..." But it was perhaps Aaron Grandidier, author of the first try of the match, who paid him the most tribute, he who had known him during the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, where the Blues of rugby sevens had been crowned on this same pitch of the Stade de France.
“We saw a great Antoine, he is so important for our team, we are lucky to play with such a player,” underlined the Pau winger, with sparkling eyes. It's the same crack. For me he’s the GOAT, I’m not afraid to say it at all. » Named best player in the world in 2021, does Antoine Dupont have an idea behind his head? For 2026, it's a little late, but for 2027, with the World Cup at the end, there is something to look for. That would be a nice surprise for Fabien Galthié.
