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Watch - Antoine Dupont elbowed in face in return to Top 14

Dupont took a elbow to the chops against Perpignan - PA

France star Antoine Dupont got an unruly welcome back to the Top 14 when he received an elbow to the face in his first game for Toulouse since the Rugby World Cup.

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Dupont, who infamously suffered facial injuries against Namibia during the Rugby World Cup, entered the field during the second half, replacing Thomas Ramos, who had sustained a leg injury.

Despite Stade Toulousain leading 43-20, the match took an unsavoury turn when Dupont, on the field for less than a quarter of an hour, became the target of a forceful elbow delivered by Perpignan’s Alivereti Duguivalu, who had carried the ball into contact.

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The impact struck Dupont – Duguivalu’s would-be tackler – in the face, causing a momentary collapse.

Thankfully, the injury was deemed not serious after initial assessments.

Duguivalu, the Fijian centre from Perpignan, received a yellow card for his troubles, as it was deemed to be a moderate level of danger. While the clash did not result in a fresh facial injury for Dupont, it was a certainly moment of concern for both the spectators at the stadium and those watching the game on television.

Stade Toulousain ultimately secured the victory with a final score of 43-20.

After the game Dupont spoke about his return and his facial injury and how the press had been inaccurate about the nature of the fracture: “It’s always nice to come back when we leave for international periods,” said Dupont. “This one was even longer and there were things to evacuate. It feels good to be back with the group, to get back into club life and to re-train and then play again. I read a lot of things that weren’t proven. I don’t know why it was said like that. But my healing period was over so I was able to resume normally like all my teammates to be able to apply and be in the group this weekend.”

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Comments

3 Comments
J
Jon 608 days ago

it’s b/c he just doesn’t listen…

B
Bob Marler 609 days ago

“This one was even longer and there were things to evacuate.”


Bowels?

G
GrandDisse 610 days ago

He already tasted Kriel’s elbow in the QF, I guess one can say the plate did its job well.

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P
PM 41 minutes ago
Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start

Nick,

I am a long suffering England fan, who has had to endure watching 4 years of dull rugby, poor selections and painful defeats. Steve Borthwick talks about GPS and picks squads by numbers and then we put in a poor performance on the pitch - it’s been a consistent trend.


Something changed in the Six Nations and we totally changed our style (literally overnight) and played some really good footie, which finally felt like positive rugby for a change.


Genge has regained his pore-Covid form and is looking back to his best and is head and shoulders above Porter.


Chessum has had a good year and hasn’t played a poor International game this season.


Tom Curry was outstanding in the 6 Nations but they have been playing him at 6, wheras he is better at 7 and is lethal at the breakdown.


Tom Willis was brought into the starting team at 8 and has been one of the best England players over the last year, who should have been on this Lions tour at 8. Earl had his best game since 2020 last week - not sure 1 game warrants Lions selection over a poor combination side and he is certainly second choice for his club 7 country behind Willis.


Pollock will be a good player but like all young emerging players, he is inconsistent and can go quiet in games, which is why Curry should be the starter at 7. He brings energy to games, which is why he is good from the bench but there is an argument to say he is the 5th best England openside (Curry x2, Underhill & Earl are currently better) but will improve over the next 5 years. We just need to stop the media building him up for a fall, let him play and develop and you will see a sensational Henry Pollock for the Lions in 4 years time.


Lions will be too powerful over 80 mins, so doesn’t really matter who they pick. Just please don’t put too much hype on Pollock. His 20 mins of International rugby going into this tour were positive but the media caused a frenzy and no other player would be selected on this basis.


Let’s enjoy the rugby and give Pollock the space and time he requires.

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LONG READ Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start