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France talisman Dupont bringing Olympic gold to Six Nations / Photo: © AFP/File
France talisman Dupont bringing Olympic gold to Six Nations
France captain Antoine Dupont said on Tuesday he will use what he learnt winning gold at last year's Olympics for a tilt at the upcoming Six Nations.
Dupont, 28, was a key part of Les Bleus' Games success having skipped the annual 15-a-side tournament last season to convert to sevens.
The scrum-half returned to the longer format of the sport in October with Toulouse, scoring seven tries in 10 games for club and country.
"I think in sevens you have to be good at every skill set," Dupont told reporters at the Six Nations launch in Rome.
"I think the ruck is the most important thing I worked at in sevens.
"I worked on my lineout throw even if not useful in 15-a-side," he jokingly added.
In Dupont's absence, 2022's Six Nations champions France finished second in last year's edition despite, suffering a chastening home defeat to eventual champions Ireland in Marseille and drawing with Italy in Lille.
Since then head coach Fabien Galthie has taken his side on a scandal-hit tour of Argentina and to an unbeaten November international series including a Dupont-inspired victory over New Zealand.
"It was not easy to see the guys playing as the results were not as good as we wanted but I had other objectives," Dupont said of the 2024 Six Nations.
"Even if we were not at our best with the results, we still finished second.
"And we had a good series in November. We want to keep on going from that series and keep that dynamic for the Six Nations," he added.
Dupont's sevens gold medal in front of a packed Stade de France last July propelled the nuggety half-back's profile to a wider public at home and abroad.
He is sponsored by luxury goods brand LVMH and went straight from Toulouse's home Champions Cup game on Sunday to take part in a concert for a national food charity in Montpellier.
"I am just focusing on my current objectives, I have enough stuff to deal with on a daily basis which is to be at my best and improve my game," Dupont said on his off-the-field committment.
"I try not to lose energy on other stuff. I am able to enjoy some other stuff thanks to rugby but I can keep my energy for the rugby field," he added.
France open their Six Nations campaign back at the Stade de France against Wales on January 31.
A. Bogdanow--BTZ
