MATT WILLIAMS warned Ireland that Antoine Dupont “is like nothing I’ve ever seen” following his latest heroics for France.
The Toulouse scrum-half was in typically magnificent form for Les Bleus in their 73-24 win over Italy at the weekend, scoring two tries.
It keeps Fabien Galthie’s side in the Six Nations conversation, and with a trip to Ireland to come on March 8.
Simon Easterby‘s men are chasing a third Championship on the trot, while they remain on course for a second Grand Slam in three years after beating Wales at the weekend.
However, former Leinster and Ulster coach Matt Williams warned they will come up against an all-time great in Antoine Dupont.
He was speaking on Virgin Media following France’s hammering of Italy.
And he said: “My dad’s been dead for a long time but he told me my grandfather took him to see the great Don Bradman play.
“He was the greatest cricketing batsman of all time.
“My grandfather said to him, ‘you’ve got to see him because there is going to be no one else like him in your life.’
“Take your kids to see Dupont. he is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
“I look back on the old videos of Gareth Edwards – legendary try for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973.
“I would love to sit down with [ex-Ireland and Lions lock] Willie John McBride and ask him, ‘Mr McBride, what do you think? Him, Gareth Edwards, or Dupont?’
“He does it for Toulouse, he does it for France, he does it every time he goes out on the field.”
In 2024, Dupont stepped away from rugby XVs to switch to play for the France 7s at the Paris Olympics.
The move paid off in a big way, as the 28-year-old inspired his country to a gold medal.
He added that accolade to four Top14 titles and two European Champions Cups for Toulouse, and the 2022 Six Nations.
In 2021, meanwhile, he was named World Rugby Men’s XVs Player of the Year.
And due to his heroics at the Olympics, he was named 2024 World Rugby Men’s 7s Player of the Year.
Williams added: “He wins an Olympic gold medal at sevens, scores three tries in four minutes in the final to win the gold medal!
“No one does this.”
