1
All Blacks great Aaron Smith wades into Antoine Dupont GOAT debate
By Josh Raisey
Since Antoine Dupont produced a second-half masterclass to secure France Sevens an Olympic gold medal at the Stade de France, social media has played host to one of the fiercest debates rugby has seen in recent years: is Dupont the greatest player of all time?
Fans and pundits have been busy laying their cases for why the Frenchman is or is not the GOAT, and now one of his former rivals has joined the debate.
Former All Black Aaron Smith has provided his take, saying the scrumhalf is "probably the greatest of this generation" on X.
The 2015 World Cup winner had long been regarded as the premier No.9 in world rugby until Dupont usurped him, but Smith has described his former counterpart as "not just a halfback".
Smith did not, however, conclusively say whether the 2021 World Rugby player of the year is the GOAT yet, but said that he is still young.
"He's still young..." the 124-cap All Black said. "And when it's all said and done, he will be one of the greatest to play our game. He's already probably the greatest of this generation. He has changed rugby. He's not just a halfback; he is pure class."
Smith, who is now plying his trade for Toyota Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One, brought his rivalry to a close with Dupont at the World Cup last year, with the All Blacks' pool stage loss to France likely to be his last encounter with the gold medallist.
This is not the first time that Smith has showered the Toulouse scrumhalf in praise either.
In February 2021, before Dupont had won a Grand Slam or player of the year, the former Highlander said that he was "on another level" and that "no one is near him".
Three years later, few would have foreseen how much better the Olympian would get.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Gregor Townsend: It’s the first time since 2000 that we’ve been to NZ
3
England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's club future appears done
4
Harlequins sign England prop Harry Williams
5
Latest Comments
3) should be longer than that. Make the residency rule 7 years+. Should be almost near impossible for full fledged professionals developed in one nation playing for another. James Lowe, Gibson-Park the classic ridiculous examples. I don’t even like the ancestry thing like Brad Shields (although that would wreck the islands). If you go at 18/19 like a Cunningham-South or Dylan Hartley type then that’s not as bad, you’ve come through the new nation’s academy / development system.
Go to commentsI already gave up on ever getting cured of HSV2 because i have try many treatment none of them work out for me i have gone to different hospital they always tell me the same thing there is no cure for herpes, when i came across a post about Dr UMA in the net from a lady called Angela i contacted her and she reassured me with his herbal medicine which i took according to the way he instructed, that how i was cured. I doubted at first because i have been to a whole lot of reputable doctors, tried a lot of medicines but none was able to cure me. so i decided to listen to him and he commenced treatment, and under two weeks i was totally free from Herpes. i want to say a very big thank you to DR UMA for what he has done in my life. feel free to leave him a message on Whats-app him +2347035619585.. he also cure all this 1.HIV 2.HIV HPV 3 .ALS 4. BED WETTING DIABETES.
Go to comments