Antoine Dupont during France - Scotland, March 26, 2021. -

Christophe Saïdi / Sipa

  • Just out of the Six Nations Tournament, Antoine Dupont is preparing to challenge the Irish from Munster on Saturday with Stade Toulousain, in the round of 16 of the European Cup.

  • The scrum half of the Blues returned this Wednesday to second place in the XV of France, between "positive results" and "bitter taste" of a vexing epilogue.

No time to think about it.

Hardly the VI Nations Tournament completed on an incredible defeat against Scotland (23-27), last Friday, the Blues of the Stade Toulousain (Marchand, Baille, Aldegheri, Ntamack, Dupont) switch to the European Cup with a trip Saturday to the Irish scarecrows of Munster.

“We knew that the matches were going to be linked, we hope not to have rest right away, smiled Antoine“ Stakhanov ”Dupont, during his club's press briefing, this Wednesday morning at Ernest-Wallon.

We're used to it, we've prepared ourselves.

"

After having investigated the matches at 80 minutes or not far away with the XV of France, the indisputable international scrum-half (already 32 selections at 24) nevertheless keeps lucidity when analyzing the performance of the band in Galthié.

“If we look at the balance sheet, it's positive, we finish second.

But this last match leaves us with a bitter taste, with a defeat, especially in this way… ”Enter here, Brice Dulin and your kick in touch never typed.

"We had started very well [success in Italy and then in Ireland]", continues the kid from Castelnau-Magnoac, who also evokes the "surprises" of this competition as close as ever: "the Wales that we did not have saw it coming ”or“ the English up and down but who woke up against us ”.

And then there was the Covid which broke into Marcoussis without breaking into Marcoussis, the “Bubblegate” which followed and the end of the Tournament turned upside down: victory “Ave Maria” against the Welsh between two losses at Twickenham then against the Scotland.

The Covid mystery

Has the virus changed the game?

"We will never know", slips Dupont, not fooled by his astonishing nomination among the best players of this Tournament, whereas he clearly took a nose dive at the end of the course after having, too, been touched by the Covid.

“We don't necessarily have the impression of having performed badly, and not necessarily the impression of having given the maximum of our potential.

It's a bit the same for me.

»Conclusion?

“There are always regrets when the results do not completely satisfy us.

"

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