Exclusive: Antoine Dupont on creating history at Toulouse, chasing Olympic gold and his vision to grow rugby in France

Ahead of the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals, Toulouse and France scrum-half Antoine Dupont discussed his ambitions of adding to the legacy of the French Top 14 club in Europe, his upcoming quest for Olympic gold, and the motivations behind his foray into the world of fashion.

Dupont is widely regarded as the best player in the world, dazzling both domestically and on the international stage.

The 27-year-old has been the face of a rejuvenated French national side, but it’s matters on the club scene that have his immediate attention.

Toulouse face Harlequins in the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup on Sunday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, with a chance to reach their eighth final and clinch a record-extending sixth title.

Dupont, who grew up a Toulouse fan, joined the club from Castres ahead of the 2017/18 season and has gone on to make more than 200 appearances, winning three Top 14 titles and a Champions Cup in 2021.

But such is the nature of the game that success only breeds increased expectation and Dupont has felt that burning desire for European glory since day one.

“We really feel that when you sign with the club and when you first play a game, you feel the supporters were very excited and you feel like it’s a big objective for the players and the staff,” he told TNT Sports.

Toulouse are unbeaten in the Champions Cup this season and got the better of Quins in the group phase, but that will count for nothing when the two sides lock horns at Stadium de Toulouse on Sunday.

“I think all the team know we have big potential but the potential is verified only if you win some titles,” he added.

“It’s a special club for every guy in the team and we want to put our names in the history of the club.”

Dupont sent shockwaves through the sport when it was announced he would be taking time out of the 15-a-side game to play sevens rugby with a view to representing France at this summer’s Olympics in Paris.

Off the back of a home Rugby World Cup that ended in disappointment, Les Bleus had to do without their star scrum-half for this year’s Six Nations.

His decision was motivated by a desire to get some “mental freshness” but it is a journey that could culminate with Dupont achieving arguably the highest sporting honour.

“It was planned even before the World Cup, maybe one-and-a-half years ago,” Dupont said. “I think the season in the Top 14 and the national team are very tiring; I needed something else but it’s difficult.

“I didn’t want to change club, I still want to play with the French jersey, so there was the opportunity of the Olympics with the sevens team, so I found the mental freshness.

“I really feel the potential of the team to win something at the next Olympics, so that’s why I chose this challenge because it was a big challenge for me to be able to perform on the series because the level is very high.”

The pressure will be on to deliver in front of home fans but Dupont is used to competing under the most intense spotlight and insists he isn’t worried about shouldering the hopes of a nation.

“I have pressure all the time but I am used to having this pressure now,” he said. “I think I am very demanding with myself, so even the outside pressure is not higher than the pressure I put on myself.

“I try to be the best on the field and I don’t really care about the comments.”

Such is his immense talent, Dupont has bridged the gap from rugby player to celebrity, certainly in his home country.

It has seen him land a deal with fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton and become a cover star for GQ, among other things.

Now with a passion for fashion, he hopes to help promote rugby in parts of France where it remains something of a niche pursuit.

“I started to discover this world when I came to Toulouse and I saw some guys in the changing rooms with a lot of strange outfits sometimes, but I had the opportunity to see a fashion show,” Dupont continued.

“I always love to do other things outside the field. My vision was to try bring rugby outside the rugby supporters because in France all the north of the country don’t really know the sport.

“That was the idea at the beginning.”

Watch Toulouse take on Harlequins in the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup, live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ at 14:00 BST.

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