The transfer of power was formalized on Monday with a brief press release. As expected, Antoine Dupont was named captain of the XV of France for the three meetings in November. The Stade Toulousain scrum-half thus recovers the armband entrusted to third line Charles Ollivon at the start of Fabien Galthié’s mandate in 2020, with the Rugby World Cup organized in France in sight.
Injured in the left knee in June 2021, the Toulonnais had been removed from the field until March of the following year. “Toto” had taken on the role of captain for the first time during the previous November tour, marked by a historic success against the All Blacks in conclusion.
First test against Australia
Dupont had continued to provide an interim which looked more and more like a handover during the last Six Nations Tournament completed on the first Grand Slam tricolor for twelve years. Charles Ollivon had recovered the armband well during the last summer tour in Japan, but this in the absence of many sacred executives at the start of the year.
Barring injury, the 25-year-old is expected to play his first match as official captain when Australia hosts the Stade de France on Saturday 5 November. The Blues will then face the South African world champions in Marseille on November 12, a shock which constitutes the major meeting of this autumn tour, before ending with a match against Japan on Sunday 20 in Toulouse.