Castelnau-Magnoac (France) (AFP)

His liveliness and his ability to break the lines impressed since a young age: Castelnau-Magnoac, village of the Hautes-Pyrénées where the "gifted" Antoine Dupont has its roots, is the first supporter of the half of mixed XV of France during the Worldwide in Japan.

"We all remember that blond-haired guy with his ball," said Mayor Bernard Verdier, who was formerly the manager of Magnoac FC (MFC) with his uncle, the late father Laguillony.

"Little, we saw him playing all the time, there, under the arbor, next to the terrace, with Clement, his older brother," says Jo Do Carmo, bar manager who took over the hotel's renowned hotel-restaurant grandfather of the rugby player, Pierre Dupont.

In this establishment, on the heights of the village, expresses the admiration of the 800 or so souls of the town for its player always "very attached to its bell tower," says Do Carmo: at the entrance throne a huge picture Antoine above a scarf in the Top 14 Finals (Toulouse-Clermont); opposite a poster "Bravo Antoine"; and in the showcase, flags of European opponents of Toulouse Stadium, the club of the country's child.

"He arranged the rules," laughs his brother Clement, with whom "the competition was permanent".

He remembers "duels", "three against two" or "three against three" that Antoine loved and thanks to which he progressed. Gifted, the kid was regularly outclassed and "played against bigger ones".

- "Precocious" -

Antoine Dupont started rugby at the age of three and a half. To follow his brother, three years his elder, his "example", said his mother Marie-Pierre Dupont. "He accompanied her on Wednesday at the stadium," and "had fun with the educators," she says. "Then he joined the team," the goblins.

Later, "before, after school, with friends, they went to the stadium every day by bike, 100 m from the house," recalls Ms. Dupont, emphasizing "the passion for rugby of the whole family ". The kids also took the bus to train in Lannemezan (25 km).

Antoine Dupont already forced the admiration of his teammates. "He was + gasy + (fast) with a head start in the game's vision," says Kevin Guerrero, 24, a childhood friend, neighbor and teammate.

"He already had a good pass technique," said Laurent Laruez, MFC leader, recalling that "the little ones there are no predetermined positions" even if Antoine behaved -ready "boss".

"He developed his natural qualities: acceleration, low support thanks to his size, tactical sense," explains Clement. "A gifted, precocious, with fluidity", summarizes Jean-Philippe Guerrero, Antoine's first coach.

- "his strength is his passion" -

"Rugby was his passion, he dreamed of playing in Toulouse, he was a fan," says his mother. At five, six years, he had asked for Christmas jerseys of Toulouse Frederic Michalak and Clement Poitrenaud, now one of his coaches.

However, in 2011, Mrs. Dupont privileged the training center of Auch (42 km) at the expense of that of Toulouse (97 km). "The center was good, his brother was there, he was well surrounded, it was more family-friendly than Toulouse," she explains.

Julien Sarraute, boss at Auch, became head coach of Colomiers (Pro D2), was marked by this "discreet kid who has not missed any session in four years".

The youngest and the smallest on his arrival, he "built himself a physique, transformed into an athlete while remaining a player of instinct and humble," says Julien Sarraute.

For him, the luck of Dupont has also been to evolve with a beautiful generation: Anthony Jelonch (Castres), Gauthier Douber (Biarritz), Pierre Dupouy (Bourg-en-Bresse). Without reward however for the group, which will lose in the final of Crabos (junior) 2014 against Racing (20-18).

Dupont, flew to Castres (debut in Top 14 on 8/11/2014) and ... Toulouse (2017) has "cultivated Auch his versatility" by "alternating between half and half opener".

"His strength, Sarraute remarks, is his passion, he can play at any position because his passion is to play rugby."

© 2019 AFP