XV of France: “He can be an international figure” … Antoine Dupont, a star who loves sponsors – 20 Minutes

To know the name for the best player of the year, we must officially wait for this Friday at the beginning of the afternoon and the announcement of World Rugby. Unofficially, Antoine Dupont has already drawn his best suit,
as Lionel Messi every time he receives
a Golden Ball. And it is not the words of Ugo Mola, Tuesday at a press conference, which calmed the rumor.

“I saw him take lots of pictures,” joked the manager of the scrum half at Stade Toulousain. Chances are he won. “Since the creation of this award 20 years ago, only Fabien Galthié (2002) and Thierry Dusautoir (2011) had hoisted the French colors to the top. Without this revolutionizing the life of the winners, especially off the field.

“Obviously, your notoriety is more important, it is a world distinction which makes you enter a prestigious circle, indicates the “Dark Destroyer”, present in the jury this year. But for the contracts themselves, it did not particularly change anything. “

After the coronation of Dusautoir, a decade has passed, one of the worst in tricolor rugby. But for almost two years, an ultra-talented generation, also made up of Ntamack, Marchand or Alldritt, has put some sparkle in the lives of lovers of the oval. Promoted captain of the Blues this fall, the spectacular Antoine Dupont led his team towards a resounding victory over the All Blacks in Saint-Denis (40-25), in front of 80,000 spectators and up to 7.6 million viewers.

“The icing on an already generous cake”

So at just 25 years old, this title of best player of the year, it is “certainly the icing on an already very generous cake, which would increase its international influence”. The pastry metaphor is the work of Christophe Quinquandon, president and founder of Bros. Among other activities, this company supports companies in their marketing, but also around twenty athletes, including Dupont.

“In 2017, after the first year of the agency, I asked each partner to define his heir, both to become a partner by Bros. and an athlete that we would like to represent. Blaise Matuidi replied Presnel Kimpembe and Vincent Clerc said Antoine. “Known by the ex-winger, retired but still visible on 4X3s in our cities like his colleagues from the 2000s Chabal and Michalak, the former player of Auch and Castres has since blazed his trail without needing a chaperone.

He ticks all the boxes

“There were tremors in 2019, recalls Quinquandon. 2020 has been a bit floating [avec le Covid-19]. It was complicated for the brands to position themselves, the Top 14 had not come to an end. 2021 is really the year of the explosion. Antoine was decisive in big matches within a European champion team and French champion for the second time in a row. It’s a match-winner, with incredible individual statistics. “

But in a discipline where the collective sacrosanct is as much a sporting reality as a formidable marketing argument, Dupont’s personality also fits perfectly with the expectations of the sponsors. “It carries the values ​​that brands seek in rugby. He is an exemplary teammate, who blends in with the team spirit. It is both atypical and very contemporary. “