France skipper Antoine Dupont to miss Six Nations for 2024 Olympic Games
Antonie Dupont was named Six Nations Player of the Championship in 2022 and 2023
©Steve Haag
France skipper Antonie Dupont is set to miss the upcoming Six Nations tournament next year to step up the preparation for 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The 27-year-old recently led France to a quarter-final in the home World Cup where they were edged out by eventual champions South Africa with a 29-28 margin but now will join the sevens team in January before Vancouver and Los Angeles leg to be played on 23-24 February and 2-3 March respectively.
"It's highly motivating," Dupont told RTL.
"It's incredible when you see the enthusiasm it can create. There is a desire from my side to put things in place for me to participate.
"It will be a discussion between the different coaching staffs".
With Dupont unavailable, France head coach Fabien Galthie will have to name a new captain for the Six Nations tournament that kicks-off against Ireland on 2nd February.
Meanwhile, Dupont's club head coach Ugo Mola insisted that they are preparing to be without the scrum-half as he makes a switch to the sevens format.
“I can understand why Antoine, at 26 and after three French championships, a European Cup, a [Six Nations] Grand Slam and – I hope! – a World Cup, would want to play in the Olympics in France,” head coach Ugo Mola said in June 2023.
“Antoine, Christophe Reigt and Jerome Daret and I have been talking. The Federation seems open [to it], as do the league and our president, too. All the indicators are green.
“But there are other details to sort out, because a large part of the player’s wages are paid by the club.
“We’re getting ready to spend half a season or a full season without him.”
