Dupont’s knee, six months lost, now a Top 14 final showdown
From eight months on the sidelines to leading Toulouse into the title decider, Antoine Dupont’s 2024-25 season has been a masterclass in comebacks.
Antoine Dupont will captain Toulouse in the Top 14 final against Montpellier after an eight-month absence triggered by a serious knee injury. The 27-year-old scrum-half missed nearly the entire 2024-25 domestic season following surgery in November 2024, returning only in April 2025 for the knockout rounds. His comeback has been uneven: brilliant in patches, visibly rusty in others, yet consistently decisive when it mattered most.
Dupont’s first two months back featured sharp passes and game-turning moments, but he also misfired on key tackles and struggled with the pace of contact at times, reflecting the physical toll of his layoff. Toulouse secured a 31-24 semi-final victory over Racing 92 on 14 June 2025, with Dupont controlling the tempo and landing two crucial penalties in the final 10 minutes. Montpellier, meanwhile, dismantled La Rochelle 33-12 a day earlier, powered by a relentless forward pack and the tactical kicking of fly-half Antoine Hastoy.
