French rugby star Antoine Dupont scores quick-fire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
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Clermont's Argentinian fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta (left) and Toulouse's French scrum-half Antoine Dupont sharing a laugh while watching a video refereeing replay during the French Top 14 rugby union match, which Toulouse won 48-14 at the Stade Ernest-Wallon on Oct 12.
PHOTO: AFP
PARIS – French rugby superstar and Olympic gold medallist Antoine Dupont made a breathtaking return to Top 14 duty on Oct 12 by scoring a quick-fire hat-trick of tries.
The 27-year-old scrum-half stepped away from the 15-man code to lead his country to sevens glory at the Paris Olympics in July.
He then enjoyed a lengthy vacation in the United States but that sojourn has not dented his competitive edge as he led Toulouse to a 48-14 win over Clermont.
Coming on as a 45th-minute replacement to a standing ovation from the Stade Ernest-Wallon crowd, Dupont needed just four minutes to grab a try.
He added two more in quick succession in the 55th and 58th minutes, on both occasions set up by Ange Capuozzo.
The Italian winger had scored Toulouse’s first try in the 27th minute, with hooker Peato Mauvaka adding a second as the champions raced to a 20-0 lead at the break.
Fullback Thomas Ramos added a sixth try in the closing stages.
Clermont scored two second-half tries through back-rower Killian Tixeront and centre Pierre Fouyssac.
“Everything wasn’t perfect but the players had fun,” said Toulouse skills coach David Mele.
Dupont last featured for Toulouse in their crushing Top 14 final victory against Bordeaux Begles in June.
In his absence, they had struggled, suffering consecutive defeats against Bordeaux, the first at home since February 2022, then a loss at Castres last weekend.
Toulouse’s joy at Dupont’s return, however, was tempered when French international fly-half Romain Ntamack limped off with a right ankle injury just before half-time.
Ntamack, who was replaced by Argentinian Juan Cruz Mallia, could be a doubt for the November international series with France facing Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.
The 37-cap Ntamack has not played for France since August 2023, when he suffered ruptured knee ligaments against Scotland and sat out the World Cup on home ground.
In rugby league, Bevan French scored a superb first-half try as Wigan Warriors capped their dominant season with a 9-2 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in an enthralling Super League grand final on Oct 12 to complete an unprecedented quadruple.
Wigan, who had already won the World Club Challenge, the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ Shield this season, took their second successive British top-tier title while Hull’s long wait for a major trophy continues. Their last title came back in 1985.
Coach Matt Peet revealed Wigan’s success was partly inspired by a motivational team talk from former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
The Scot, who is now 82, famously led United to a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble in 1999.
“We just thought we were on the verge of something similar to when United won the treble, so we reached out through a mutual friend,” Peet said.
“With his mentality, we thought he would be the perfect person. It was epic, as you can imagine. We were hung on his every word.” AFP, REUTERS
