Antoine Dupont

[Digby]

Neither kick all that well, both hide well in defence for the modern 9 (which isn't a criticism)

[tigran]

Neither kick all that well, both hide well in defence for the modern 9 (which isn't a criticism)

Hum, no I dont think one can say that Dupont hides in défense... he has great box kicks and great clearance kicking, and his passing in kicking is excellent, he has created many breaks and tries with both feet.

I don't really know about Smith though

[Buggaluggs]

He was a bit tasty today.

[tigran]

[Digby]

Neither kick all that well, both hide well in defence for the modern 9 (which isn't a criticism)

Hum, no I dont think one can say that Dupont hides in défense... he has great box kicks and great clearance kicking, and his passing in kicking is excellent, he has created many breaks and tries with both feet.

I don't really know about Smith though

There's a cost to getting banged around as a small player at 9, and you're already doing the most running. So you want to avoid contact work which they both do well, and their teams value them enough to accept that. And yes they can both kick well, but they often don't (Dupont had one especially poor effort today just from my scant attention to a poor game), and it's not what you'd think the strong part of their game, Ben Youngs can throw some mighty fine passes, he just doesn't always do so, some might say

[Adder]

"On va pas y passer la journee non plus!"

I'm not sure what the best translation for this would be but trying to take the tone into considerations "

"Were not going to spend all day here, are we?"

[morepork]

It’s almost irrelevant. I would hate to see he French coached out of your boy. Smith is a fine student of the game and can read a play and defend, or hoof the ball and play for territory, but I would hate to see his bullet passing and support play suffer in preference for that. The coach is king , and I would be planning around your boy rather than restricting him.

[tigran]

Dupont is a 10 originally

So maybe it's not that relevant yes..

Smith has advanced something recently :

Dupont9A this guy is on another level! No one is near him atm . He’s the point of difference for both his club and country. He’s helping me look at parts of my game to improve.”#respect #9gang – Aaron Smith (@Te_Nug) on Twitter

"Antoine Dupont’s stock, blue chip, received a further buy-in on Tuesday, another ringing endorsement, this time from New Zealand scrumhalf Aaron Smith who was unequivocal in replying to a question as to the identity of the best player in world rugby at the moment.

His response brooks very little argument. The All Black, acknowledged as the standout performer in his position globally for the majority of his career to date, was effusive in his praise of the 24-year-old French No 9."

In the Irish times

[francoisfou]

Dupont will miss the Scotland game on the 28th because he’s been tested positive and is obliged to self isolate for ten days. For the moment, all other players’ results are negative. Let’s hope it stays that way.

[paddy no 11]

The durty fecker

France need to see serin sink or swim anyway (I reckon not good enough) and others need to step up

Great news for Scotland

[tigran]

Rugby is a team game... But if there's such a prize it's been clearly deserved by him..

Antoine Dupont Is world player of the year 2021

[Hollognois]

Rugby is a team game... But if there's such a prize it's been clearly deserved by him..

Antoine Dupont Is world player of the year 2021

Ouais ...

[paddy no 11]

Was on a different level to everyone else in Cardiff

[Numbers]

Was on a different level to everyone else in Cardiff

Yep, and he had one of the worst games I've seen from him in a while, knocked it on twice iirc.

[tigran]

He has been voted the Rugby Union Writers’ Club’s Personality of the Year for 2021...

Where does all this stops ????

[paddy no 11]

Had the pleasure of seeing him play live today

Best player I've seen live since prime Paul O'Connell, just streets ahead of everyone else. He gives defence no rest with his snipes, monster in the tackle, throws 30 yard passes like there coming from a coiled spring and a savage brain. Must be a nightmare to play against

[francoisfou]

Had the pleasure of seeing him play live today

Best player I've seen live since prime Paul O'Connell, just streets ahead of everyone else. He gives defence no rest with his snipes, monster in the tackle, throws 30 yard passes like there coming from a coiled spring and a savage brain. Must be a nightmare to play against

Agree, but when he's not there, his undertstudies in Toulouse at the moment aren't anywhere near his level,, and the team suffers.
I've got my ticket for the return match on Jan 22 and just hope there's no fog as there was yesterday!

[paddy no 11]

Had the pleasure of seeing him play live today

Best player I've seen live since prime Paul O'Connell, just streets ahead of everyone else. He gives defence no rest with his snipes, monster in the tackle, throws 30 yard passes like there coming from a coiled spring and a savage brain. Must be a nightmare to play against

Agree, but when he's not there, his undertstudies in Toulouse at the moment aren't anywhere near his level,, and the team suffers.
I've got my ticket for the return match on Jan 22 and just hope there's no fog as there was yesterday!

Enjoy, hopefully munster are a bit better than yesterday

[tigran]

[tigran]

Refresh

[p/d]

Another level.

[Puja]

Just utterly, utterly broken:





Not operating by the same rules.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

Young master Mwenda commented "well what about ice hockey then? He'd love it."

[Puja]

I think we have a definitive answer to "Who is the best rugby player ever?" That man is utterly ridiculous and just steps up for the big moments.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

Beginning to get sick of the narrative. Man sevens has got rubbish though