After profitable gold at Paris 2024, the ‘is Antoine Dupont the best of all time?’ debate sparked into life.
The GOAT debate. One for down the pub or darkish, dingy nights doom scrolling on social media. Oh boy, has it been in full stream these previous 48 hours.
Antoine Dupont guided France to their first gold medal of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games after they beat Fiji 28-7 within the rugby sevens males’s remaining. Dupont scored two tries and assisted one other. He was the most effective participant on the pitch and is the most effective rugby participant on the earth proper now. We’re assured sufficient to exit on a limb and say that. However as the ultimate whistle sounded, did the talk start. Is Antoine Dupont the best of all time?
On one aspect, these inserting Dupont’s names in lights. Claiming that there has by no means been a participant fairly as full because the French quantity 9. A participant as quick as a winger, robust as a again rower and sensible as fly-half, controlling video games like a puppeteer from scrum-half. Anyone who gained the High 14, Champions Cup and after simply six months of enjoying a brand new sport, has additionally develop into an Olympic gold medalist.
Paris 2024 Males’s Rugby Sevens – Gold Medal Match
France vs Fiji. Antoine Dupont offloads to Aaron Grandidier Nkanang who scores a attempt.
(Credit score ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
Good friend of the journal, Squidge Rugby, put out a easy publish calling the Frenchman ‘The best rugby participant of all time.’ A good remark contemplating what Dupont has achieved each in the previous couple of months and thru his profession. France weren’t gold medal contenders for rugby sevens 12 months in the past. Dupont joined the squad and so they gained each the HSBC SVNS Collection and Olympic gold. It’s no coincidence. He’s altering the sport.
After which got here the response. There have been some claiming that Dupont isn’t even the most effective rugby participant on the earth at current time whereas others insisted that he’s not even the most effective scrum-half of his technology – that accolade belonging to New Zealand’s Aaron Smith. Each debatable statements I’d indulge over a pint.
You then had the odd South African fan who swore by the truth that Ruan Pienaaer had extra expertise in his left boot than Dupont had by his complete being. That, much less laborious to get on board with.
Genuinely, at factors, it felt like we have been one step away from the declare that if we may cryogenically de-age Gareth Edwards again to 1973, he would make Dupont seem like he must be enjoying benefit league beginner rugby.
Associated: Watch all of the Olympic Sevens motion right here
The arguments have been visceral bordering on absurd and for these, like me, who like to lurk within the shadows of social media, witnessing these eruptions of debate rear their head from time to time, it made for an amusing night of leisure to complement the Olympic browsing in Tahiti.
Let’s be actual for a second. In the end, the GOAT debate is a bit foolish as a result of if there’s any debate available, then it sort of proves that there isn’t any GOAT. There are a number of sports activities the place the talk doesn’t exist. For instance, males’s street biking. Ask anybody who the best of all time is and they’re going to let you know that it’s Eddy Merckx. Likewise with hockey, it’s only ever Wayne Gretzky’s identify uttered.
In rugby, no one has paved such daylight to the remainder however that’s fantastic, it’s completely fantastic. Individuals can declare Dupont is the best of all time and others can say it’s another person. In case you assume it’s Jonny Wilkinson or Portia Woodman-Wickliffe or Dan Carter, extra life to you. It’s an important yarn to have after a number of beers, stick with it.
Antoine Dupont scores a attempt on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Getty Photos/Ryan Pierse)
What all of us must in moments like these, although, is guarantee we do it not push down with this debate however carry up.
After Dupont took centre stage on the world’s largest sporting occasion on Saturday, what we should always all have been doing is inserting the pocket rocket Frenchman on a lofty pedestal that sits far larger than the 4 partitions of our sport. Placing him on the market for all to see and singing his names from the Parisian rooftops.
Associated: Watch all of the Olympic Sevens motion right here
Dupont captured the eye of the world on Saturday evening with an viewers far past rugby, one which if we will allure, can futureproof this sport for generations to return. When these moments occur, we have to harness its energy to have fun why rugby is such an excellent sport to develop our recreation, not use it as a chance to claptrap anyone who has a differing opinion to you.
Come collectively and agree that Dupont is a generational expertise for this sport and an important cause why you must watch rugby. And for those who assume there’s somebody higher than Dupont, present us how improbable this different particular person is. Let’s use it as a second of celebration, not degradation. I’m undecided the game can afford the latter longterm.
And anyway, everyone knows who the best rugby participant of all time is – Rupeni Caucaunibuca.
