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Antoine Dupont wins the 2024 Investec Player of the Year
By Ian Cameron
Could there have been any other winner? Toulouse captain Antoine Dupont has won the Investec Player of the Year award for the second time following his side's dramatic victory over Leinster in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium yesterday.
This makes le Ministre de l'Intérieur the first player to win this accolade twice - having previously won the award in 2021. This latest accolade comes after another stellar series of performances in both the pool and knockout stages of this season’s Investec Champions Cup.
On Saturday afternoon Dupont led Toulouse to victory in a dramatic final at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. His exploits in the extra-time win over Leinster earned him the Investec Player of the Match title - as well as the Player of the Year gong.
“I cannot remember the team or myself putting in such a defensive performance, we showed a lot of solidarity," said Dupont after the game.
Following the match Dupont was presented with the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy by Olive Foley and her sons, Tony and Dan - as well as receiving a specially engraved medal.
The voting process for the Investec Player of the Year involved close to 30,000 fans casting their votes on InvestecChampionsCup.com. The public's choice was then combined with the decision of an expert panel of judges.
Other nominees for the 2024 award included Leinster Rugby’s Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan. The list also featured Northampton Saints duo Courtney Lawes and Fin Smith, as well as Harlequins playmaker Marcus Smith.
Despite the strong competition, the France SVNS player's outstanding performances throughout the EPCR season ensured his victory.
Judging Panel: Jim Hamilton (two-time Investec Champions Cup winner), Francois Louw (2019 Rugby World Cup winner), Ugo Monye (TNT Sports and two-time EPCR Challenge Cup winner), Elma Smit (sports presenter and producer), Dimitri Yachvili (France Télévisions and EPCR Challenge Cup winner)
Roll of Honour
2023: Gregory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
2022: Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
2021: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
2020: Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
2019: Alex Goode (Saracens)
2018:?Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
2017:?Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016:?Maro?Itoje?(Saracens)
2015:?Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014:?Steffon?Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013:?Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012:?Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011:?Sean O’Brien (Leinster Rugby)
2010:?Ronan O’Gara (Munster Rugby – best player of first 15 years of European club rugby)
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Latest Comments
Ireland and Leinster’s complex attacking patterns took an age to develop that involved getting everyone on board on the same page. And this worked for the kinds of players that Ireland produces. Fit, aerobic and hardworking. Nienaber comes from a different system and different kind of player. Big forwards, small very quick wings and back in between. That’s a disadvantage as Ireland doesn’t have the speed to play catch up which was clear against Toulouse. Also, it would take awhile for Leinster to switch from what they were and what they are being asked to become. Under Farrell, I think Ireland will acquit themselves well and won’t be surprised if they take one game and it must be the first one. Boks get momentum in that one and the 2nd will be a drubbing.
Go to commentsFrance still are undisputed World Cup chokers. Being defined as a choker means almost winning but at the last hurdle continuing to snatch defeat from jaws of victory. France made the very first RWC grand final back at the inaugural tournament in 1987. They then made the final in 1999 and then 2011 yet no cigar. Ireland on their hand have never made it past the quarters. They have never made it far enough to be defined as chokers . They are just seemingly poor at knockout rugby
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