Antoine Dupont 'the best player on the planet' as Toulouse eye another Investec Champions Cup semi-final

Exeter Chiefs face a tough Sunday at Stade Ernest-Wallon in their Investec Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Toulouse, live on TNT Sports, where their success may depend on how they manage Antoine Dupont's influence on of the game.

Dupont recently returned from a historic debut for the French Sevens side, lifting silverware for the first time in 19 years with a 21-0 victory over Great Britain in the final in Los Angeles.

Come July, Dupont will be back in blue to represent France at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the dream of clinching a gold medal.

The French maestro returned to European competitions in the red and black of Toulouse, captaining his side to a one-sided 31-7 victory over Racing 92 in the round of 16.

Dupont was the focus of the talk before the Racing game, and pre-match discussion going into the Exeter clash will likely centre on his impact too.

TNT Sports rugby pundits Lawrence Dallaglio and Sam Warburton were excited by Dupont's return, with the former England captain calling him "the best player on the planet."

"There's no bigger name in the world than Antoine Dupont at the moment," Dallaglio said on TNTY Sports. "He's the poster-boy of French rugby and of Toulouse, and with very good reason.

"Everyone who is asked about him...just saying he's the best player on the planet at the moment, and he is because he brings so much to every single game whether he's playing at home for Toulouse, playing away or in the national team.

"Dupont absolutely, both sides of the ball whether it's in defence or attack, he affects the outcome of matches by either scoring tries, setting up tries, beating defenders.

"He's literally been player of every tournament he's been involved in so far."

Warburton mirrored Dallaglio’s sentiments, saying that Dupont makes “enormous influence guaranteed every game.”

Dupont leads the way in numerous statistics in the Champions Cup, making the most carries (87), offloads (17), and try assists (eight). But his influence does not extend purely to the offensive side of Toulouse’s game, ranking as his side’s top turnover-winner with six.

Exeter survived a windswept Sandy Park and a tough challenge from Bath to make it to this stage, but the odds are not in their favour.

The Chiefs have not won away from home in 2024, suffering four defeats across the Investec Champions Cup and the domestic league - most recently a 41-5 thumping at Sale Sharks.

The question to Exeter’s Rob Baxter over the past week has been how they can contain Dupont more so than the rest of Toulouse’s star-studded squad.

Baxter said: “If you know the opposition nine is a particular threat in the team, the focus isn’t necessarily on the nine it’s the things that allow him to be a threat.

“Dealing with Dupont will be very difficult if we don’t deal with the other platforms but that goes for any decent player.

“If we can challenge them in that way, that’s how you potentially limit his opportunities. You can create an environment which is harder for him to show it, that’s how we have to approach the game.”

Toulouse take on Exeter, live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+, with kick-off at 3pm UK time.

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