France have been dealt a huge setback ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship, with superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont ruled out of the tournament through injury.
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The 29-year-old was due to join Fabien Galthié’s squad in Australia later this week after helping Toulouse secure a fourth consecutive Top 14 title on Saturday. However, scans have confirmed a calf injury sustained during the club’s play-off run will prevent him from featuring in France’s summer campaign.
The French Rugby Federation confirmed the news on Monday, announcing that Toulouse scrum-half Paul Graou has been drafted into the squad as Dupont’s replacement.
It marks a bitter blow for both France and Dupont, who had been set to feature in his first end-of-season Test tour since 2017. In recent years the French captain has routinely been rested during the July international window due to his heavy club workload, but the introduction of the Nations Championship had persuaded him to make himself available.
Dupont was never expected to face New Zealand in France’s opening fixture on July 4, with Toulouse and Montpellier players only joining the squad after the Top 14 final. Instead, he had been pencilled in to return for France’s remaining pool matches against Australia in Brisbane on July 11 and Japan in Tokyo a week later.
Unfortunately, that comeback will now have to wait. The scrum-half later confirmed the setback himself on social media.
“An MRI carried out this morning, following pain felt since the semi-final, has revealed a calf injury,” Dupont wrote.
“It is therefore with a heavy heart that I must withdraw from selection for the matches against Australia and Japan. I wish the squad all the best for this tour.”
The injury caps another frustrating campaign for one of world rugby’s biggest stars. Although Dupont finished the season by lifting yet another Top 14 trophy with Toulouse, his year was heavily disrupted by injury after suffering a ruptured ACL during France’s Six Nations victory over Ireland.
He returned in time to inspire Toulouse’s successful run to another domestic title, scoring a try in Saturday’s final victory over Montpellier before eventually being replaced by Graou, who will now step into the France squad.
Graou, 28, is yet to win his first Test cap but has enjoyed an impressive campaign with Toulouse, starting 20 of the club’s 31 matches across all competitions this season.
Dupont’s withdrawal is the second change to Galthié’s squad before the tournament has even begun. Earlier this month, second-row Joshua Brennan was forced to pull out after initially being selected, with Alexandre Roumat taking his place.
Despite losing their talisman, France still boast one of the strongest squads they have ever taken on a summer tour, with Romain Ntamack, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert and Yoram Moefana all included.
Les Bleus open their Nations Championship campaign against New Zealand in Christchurch before travelling to Brisbane to face Australia and finishing the group stage against Japan in Tokyo, with the tournament concluding during the Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London later this year.
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