• No, French superstar Antoine Dupont can’t beat the Sharks all by himself, but he will certainly make a massive contribution.

• ⁠Toulouse versus the Sharks is very close to being a test match between France and the Springboks.

Antoine Dupont, described by some as the best rugby player in the world, is on South African soil this weekend for the first time since 2017.

He made his debut for France at Kings Park Stadium, which remains the only time he has ever played in the Southern Hemisphere.

Rugby is an out-and-out team sport, and highlighting a single player as a match-winner is risky — but perhaps an exception can be made in the case of the French scrum half.

It is no accident that he was named World Sevens Player of the Year for 2024.

Dupont’s performance in helping France’s sevens team win gold at the Olympics last year will undoubtedly go down as one of the major achievements of his career.

From the moment he announced he was going to play sevens for the year, France’s path to winning gold seemed inevitable.

He was so good that French sevens coach Jérôme Daret, who by international standards is considered no more than adequate, was famously handed the Coach of the Year award.

Sevens is often viewed by the uninformed as a game for players who can’t make the 15s side, but watching Dupont play sevens was a spectacle.

The stage may be bigger in the 15s, but his influence behind the scrum is just as powerful.

So why is Saturday’s match in Durban being likened to a test match?

Toulouse features a squad of players who could easily play for France in all positions. Besides Dupont, there is Thomas Ramos, Emmanuel Meafou, Romain Ntamack, and an entire plane full of superstars.

The Sharks are not lacking Springbok stars either. Names like Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth and Vincent Koch immediately stand out. On any given weekend, they can also call on Boks like Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse and Trevor Nyakane.

And if one man can match Dupont for charisma and presence, it’s Siya Kolisi.

Even if they run out of Springboks — which is unlikely — they still have Emmanuel Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Dylan Richardson, and others.

Toulouse, officially known as Stade Toulousain, are favourites to win the Investec Champions Cup. However, this single match in the Durban humidity, with a near-capacity crowd, could go either way.

It all depends on how well the Sharks can contain that French number nine in their fortress — the Shark Tank in Durban.

Pictured above: Antoine Dupont.

Source: X