26% of vote nets Antoine Dupont player of the Six Nations award

France scrum-half Antoine Dupont has become only the second player to win a third Six Nations player of the year award, matching the feat achieved by Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll in 2009. The French No9 was part of a six-strong shortlist that was evenly divided between three French players and three Irish.

Upwards of 138,000 fans took part in the online vote along with international media, and the decision eventually went the way of Dupont who had previously won the title in 2020 and 2022.

A statement read: “Antoine Dupont, the France and Stade Toulousain scrum-half, has been named the 2023 Guinness Six Nations player of the championship after fans were asked to vote from a shortlist of six nominees.

“This takes Dupont’s award tally up to three, having claimed the prize in 2020 and 2022. Dupont is the second player in the award’s history to claim the title three times, putting him alongside Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll, who won the award in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

“The shortlist for this year’s Six Nations player of the championship was dominated by France and Ireland players, with three names per nation making the shortlist. International media and fans had their say on who should be in the running for the hotly anticipated award, with fan votes also contributing towards the 2023 team of the championship.

“Dupont was joined on the player of the championship shortlist by Toulouse teammate and France full-back Thomas Ramos, plus prolific try-scoring winger Damian Penaud who plays his club rugby for Clermont Auvergne.

"Three standout names from the Ireland team that went on to secure a Grand Slam title completed the shortlist. Leinster’s Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan were accompanied by Connacht winger Mack Hansen, making it a blue and green list of names being put to a fan vote.

“With over 138,000 fans having their say to decide the Six Nations player of the championship, it was Dupont that received 26 per cent of the votes, earning the coveted award for the third time, as well as a place in the team of the championship."