2023-10-11 18:08:48
TESTIMONIALS – In France, there are hundreds of them who have the same first and last name as the captain of the Blues. Le Figaro met several of them.
Antoine Dupont. This is a name which, unlike Zinédine Zidane, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is rather common. In France, especially. Before the expected return of the captain of the Blues for the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup against South Africa (Sunday, 9 p.m.), Le Figaro met several of his namesakes.
They are a nurse, podiatrist and sales manager. They live in Paris, Lyon and Vendée. Not everyone knows the world of rugby inside out, but no one can ignore what he shares with the best player in the world of the discipline. An extraordinary surname, if not unique, which has given each of them more or less crazy anecdotes. Portraits.
Antoine Dupont, 28 years old, nurse at the Vendée Departmental Hospital Center, in La Roche-sur-Yon (85)
Antoine is a nurse on duty during the night of Thursday September 28 to Friday September 29, when an injured person arrives urgently at the Vendée Departmental Hospital Center in La Roche-sur-Yon. “A young person who crashed on a scooter“, he explains. The injury was quickly diagnosed: fracture of the orbital floor. His colleagues at the hospital can’t believe it: “They kept teasing me, saying ”it’s funny that Antoine Dupont is taking care of a guy who has exactly the same injury as him”.»
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Antoine Dupont, 28 years old, DR nurse
The coincidence is astonishing, but Antoine is used to the parallels with his famous namesake. Big sports fans, his friends from the village of Montaigu-Vendée (85) regularly send him messages saying “Big match my Dudu» when the rugby player performs, or even photos. “Some are very good at Photoshop, I receive montages with my little head placed on the very muscular body of Antoine Dupont.» For his birthday, we even gave him one of these montages on a large format sign.
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Just five years ago, when his surname was not also that of the best rugby player on the planet, Antoine Dupont.did not measure the scope“. But he prefers to put things into perspective: “If my name was Thierry Henry, it would be worse“. So far, this name has only brought him good memories, like this evening in a crowded bar in the port of La Rochelle, last May, when he showed his identity card to a group of around fifteen rugby fans. “After a few beers, it was even more fun.»
One of the many photo montages that Antoine Dupont receives from his friends. DR
His prediction for the Blues : «Before the start of the World Cup, I would have said France without a problem, but the Irish scare me. I see a France-Ireland final, and my chauvinistic mind makes me say that the Blues will win.»
Antoine Dupont, 34 years old, podiatrist in Vaulx-en-Velin (69)
When Antoine was contacted by Le Figaro to testify, he did not hesitate for a second: “We can discuss the hordes of young supporters who send me their trophy photos“. This podiatrist in Vaulx-en-Velin (Grand Lyon, 69) has made his telephone number visible on the internet for the sake of his paramedical activity. As a result, rugby fans regularly send him photos of their “trophies and medals of all kinds. I have even already had several declarations of love.»
Antoine Dupont, 34 years old, DR podiatrist
Antoine may tell them that he is not the real Antoine Dupont, but nothing helps: “They express doubts about the fact that I am not the ‘real’ Antoine Dupont, and insist a lot, hoping that, perhaps, I can reveal to them the truth they want to hear, he laments. I often tell them to talk to their parents so that they understand that celebrities’ numbers don’t hang around on the internet…»
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However, it happens that Antoine voluntarily pretends to be the rugby player “in the evening to have fun, or during matches in bars“. Although he admits to being more of a footballer, he sometimes goes to the Gerland stadium to watch matches of LOU, the club from the city of Lyon. Perhaps he will one day meet the scrum half there during a LOU-Stade Toulousain. This will be an opportunity to tell him that “it’s hard work being his namesake. He should invite me to see a French team match“. In the meantime, in his office, some patients call him “Captain».
His prediction for the Blues : « Being an optimist by nature, victory. Or at least a final! »
Antoine Dupont, 42 years old, director of European business development at Fujitsu, in Paris (75)
Common point between this Antoine Dupont and the captain of the XV of France: both attended a management school. Toulouse School of Management (TSM) for the rugby player, Rennes School of Business for its namesake.
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Antoine’s first steps in the professional world took place in Brest, but he quickly left Brittany for Paris. At both Lenovo and Fujitsu, manufacturers of computer equipment, he rose through the ranks in the sales teams. Until his current position: director of European business development. The one who recruited him at Lenovo sees in him “an outstanding professional and a person you can count on in all situations“. It is also a “true team player, loyal and incredibly generous“. Another of his former managers appreciates his “passion” and his “incredible energy“. That reminds someone…
Antoine Dupont, 42 years old, director of European business development at Fujitsu DR
Antoine says to himself “very heavy sports consumer», but rugby is one of the disciplines he follows the least. The Top 14? “Rarely“. The French team, yes, from time to time. This does not prevent him from knowing that his namesake plays at Stade Toulousain and was voted best player in the world, “two years ago I think“. That’s right, it was in 2021. Since then, when Antoine calls a restaurant to make a reservation, the person on the other end of the line sometimes expresses doubts about his last name. “It happened before the popularity of the rugby player, but even more so now!»
His prediction for the Blues : «After the Grand Slam in 2022, we can claim to go all the way. However, be careful of overconfidence. Rugby remains a sport where anything can happen. Last square minimum.»
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