Can France still win the Six Nations without Antoine Dupont?
France captain set to miss Six Nations to prepare for 2024 Olympics in Paris
©TRU
Any sports team misses their best player when they're absent, but the void tends to be greater when that individual is classed as one of the finest talents of his generation.
Antoine Dupont, arguably the greatest scrum half of the past decade, will miss the Six Nations as he instead concentrates on France’s bid to win the rugby sevens on home soil at the Olympic Games later this year.
That leaves Les Bleus with rather sizeable shoes to fill in the number nine position – so much so, is their bid for the Six Nations title likely to be derailed as a result?
Absent Friends
Even accounting for Dupont’s absence, France is still considered to be the favourites for the tournament – those that bet on Six Nations action can get odds of 6/5 on Fabien Galthié’s men, ahead of Ireland (6/4) and England (5/1). But any rugby tips column published would be remiss not to mention the loss of Dupont, who’s both a remarkable scrum half and an inspirational captain of this France side.
His influence on the Six Nations, in particular, can't be diminished – he's won the Player of the Championship award on three separate occasions, including in 2023 when Les Bleus were, of course, beaten to the title by the Irish.
A Six Nations, European Champions Cup and Top 14 winner, it’s no coincidence that Dupont has been successful everywhere he’s played.
To make matters worse for Galthié, one of his most likely replacements for the 27-year-old – Baptiste Serin – has suffered a dislocated shoulder and will now miss the international showpiece. With the likes of Pierre Bourgarit also on the treatment table, is France’s position as the Six Nations favourites under threat?
Holding Out for a Hero
The most likely benefactor from the woes of Les Bleus is Ireland, although they're not without problems of their own. Just a matter of weeks shy of the opening weekend of the Six Nations, Andy Farrell is still yet to name his successor to Johnny Sexton as captain.
The likes of Peter O’Mahony, James Ryan and Caelan Doris have all been touted as potential candidates, but until Farrell publicly announces his decision, there will remain question marks over the champions’ immediate future. There’s no shortage of leadership in that Irish dressing room, but all teams need a figurehead - an announcement is expected imminently.
While there are captaincy issues in the French and Irish camps, for Steve Borthwick and England, simply naming a consistent starting XV could be a problem.
The likes of Courtney Lawes, Jonny May, Danny Care and now Mako Vunipola have retired, while the ruling on players opting to play overseas means that the likes of Joe Marchant and Jack Willis will not be considered for selection.
It means that Borthwick will have no choice but to bring in fresh blood for England’s Six Nations campaign. And while the talent pool runs deep in English rugby, that’s not to say that an inexperienced team will take to the field for the tournament.
With more question marks than answers right now, the 2024 Six Nations could be the most fascinating edition in quite some time!
