France superstar Antoine Dupont offered a quietly optimistic update on Saturday night following a successful return to action after nine months out of the game.
In truth, his 30-minute cameo for Toulouse went about as smoothly as either he or Stade Toulousain could have hoped for.
The Top 14 top dogs saw off Racing 92 48-24 on what was an emotional night for the club, but it wasn’t all about Dupont’s return.
While the 29-year-old, marking his first appearance in almost nine months after a serious knee injury, had dominated headlines in the south of France, he shared the spotlight with long-serving centre Pita Ahki. Ahki received a warm send-off in his final home match before returning to New Zealand.
Wholesome stuff.
For the neutral, however, it’s Dupont’s return that holds the most intrigue.
Anticipation grew during the week once news of his selection leaked out in the French press and when the France skipper came off the bench in the 50th minute, it was to a standing ovation from the Ernest-Wallon faithful.
His right ACL rupture against Ireland during the Six Nations on March 8 brought his season to a halt and left a sizeable gap for both club and country. Dupont had not played for Toulouse since January 19, and his last Top 14 outing was more than a year ago.
If he was nervous, it didn’t show. If anything, it was very much meat and drink for ‘Toto’, who hit his stride without having to force the issue.
“The game was already drifting by the time I came on, so it made things easier,” he told Canal+. “But honestly, good. Then the guys did a good job at the end of the game. It was easier because we had a numerical advantage, we were even two more at one point, but we were still serious and they put me in good conditions so that I could calmly get back into the swing of things.”
He quickly fell back into familiar rhythms: a trademark dart through traffic, a pinpoint kick-pass to Matthias Lebel, and the sort of tempo control Toulouse have missed in his absence. That sense of comfort, he said, returned as soon as he was cleared to train fully.
“Honestly, since the first full team training sessions I was able to do at 100 per cent of my capacity, I quickly felt good… the system hasn’t changed, I know the guys inside and out, so the automatic movements have come back very well. It was just my athletic qualities that I needed to rediscover, and it’s getting better and better. I still have a bit of work to do, but the feeling is good.”