Rugby: Antoine Dupont has had surgery and will be back in “a few days” with the French team

The captain of the XV of France Antoine Dupont, victim of a broken jaw Thursday before Namibia, was operated on Friday evening, indicated the French Rugby Federation, confirmation of information from Le Figaro.

“Within a few days”, the scrum half “will be able to return to the French team in a process of gradual sporting resumption and under medical supervision”, specified the FFR, without giving further information.

The return of the superstar of the Blues, hosts and favorites of the 2023 World Cup, is good news for the French XV, even if its exact resumption date is not yet known.

Doctor Bernard Dusfour, former president of the medical commission of the National Rugby League (LNR), explained to AFP on the eve of this operation that, in the event of surgery, the minimum unavailability for a high-level athlete is “four weeks”. Which would only allow a return to the semi-final at best.

Also read “We hope he recovers quickly”: South Africa very fair after Antoine Dupont’s injury

“I have always said that the problem in rugby is playing injured players. It's not a good idea. And the question we will have to ask ourselves is the question that Fabien Galthié will have to ask himself with all his staff: is Lucu at 100% or Couilloud at 100% inferior to Antoine Dupont, who was operated on? , who received a blow to the head?”, he added.

Thursday, Dupont (26 years old, 51 caps) “suffered a maxillo-zygomatic fracture”, victim of a violent head impact during the river victory against Namibia (96-0).

The day after this third success in the World Cup, the French rugby superstar, named best player on the planet in 2021, returned to Toulouse to consult specialists and “do additional imaging exams”, explained to AFP Didier Lacroix, the president of his club, Stade Toulouse.

At the same time, attack coach Laurent Labit said he hoped for Dupont's return: "for us, Antoine did not finish the competition."