FRANCE SCRUM-HALF Antoine Dupont has been named World Rugby men’s player of the year for 2021.
The 25-year-old beat off competition from Wallabies duo Samu Kerevi and Michael Hooper, as well as England’s Maro Itoje, to claim the award following a public vote.
World Rugby say that Dupont earned two-thirds of the vote.
He is the third French player to win the award, following in the footsteps of his current national team head coach, Fabien Galthié, and Thierry Dusautoir.
Dupont’s form for France this year has been sensational and he captained les Bleus for an autumn series that included a thrilling win over New Zealand in Paris.
Dupont had already been named in World Rugby’s dream team of the year and has now claimed the top honour, which went to public vote for the first time.
Dupont succeeds South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit as the World Rugby men’s player of the year.
Meanwhile, England’s Zoe Aldcroft has been named World Rugby women’s player of the year.
Aldcroft recently captained her country for the first time and has been outstanding in the second row and back row across the course of the year.
She beat fellow nominees Caroline Boujard and Laure Sansus of France, and her England team-mate Poppy Cleall, to the award.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
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