Stade Toulousain Receives Antoine Dupont Boost Ahead Of Racing 92 Clash
Stade Toulousain Receives Antoine Dupont Boost Ahead Of Racing 92 Clash
Antoine Dupont is set to return for Toulouse against Racing 92 after eight months out with an ACL injury. The club is preparing for the Champions Cup.
France star Antoine Dupont is expected to make his long-awaited return this weekend, with reports in France indicating the Stade Toulousain scrumhalf will be named on the bench for Saturday’s Top 14 clash with Racing 92.
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The 29-year-old has not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during France’s Six Nations loss to Ireland in March. His absence stretched to nearly eight months, a gap made all the more glaring given his status as one of the sport’s most influential players.
Training footage released over recent weeks fueled speculation that his comeback was close, and both Rugbyrama and Midi Olympique reported that head coach Ugo Mola is ready to reintroduce him to the matchday squad.
Dupont’s return arrives at an important moment for Toulouse, which sits atop the Top 14 table with a two-point cushion over Pau. Racing 92 is within striking distance of the top 3 and could move as high as third with a victory, depending on results elsewhere.
Racing coach Patrice Collazo welcomed the prospect of facing a player who has shaped the modern interpretation of the number nine role.
“The whole world tries to defend against him and can’t,” Collazo said this week when asked about the possibility of Dupont lining up against his side. “Honestly, it’s great to see him on the field. Antoine Dupont is the best in his position. We all love watching him and playing against him.”
Toulouse resisted the urge to bring him back earlier.
There was a quiet discussion last week about whether he could feature against newly promoted Montauban after several impressive training sessions. Toulouse opted for caution and still claimed a 49-7 win without him.
His reintroduction strengthens a side already building momentum for its Investec Champions Cup campaign. The six-time European champions begin their continental season next Sunday against the Hollywoodbets Sharks, followed by a trip to meet the Glasgow Warriors in Round 2.
January brings the return of the pool stage, with fixtures against Saracens and the Sale Sharks rounding out the group.
Dupont has been central to the club’s recent success. He has won two Champions Cup titles with Toulouse and recently committed his long-term future to the club, signing a deal that will keep him there until 2031. His potential return is timed neatly with Toulouse’s push for a seventh European crown.
For France, the news is just as significant.
Dupont had been in career-best form prior to the injury and remains the linchpin of Fabien Galthie’s squad. If he comes through Toulouse’s upcoming fixtures without setbacks, he could return to the national side ahead of the Six Nations, where France aims to defend its title.
Videos of the scrumhalf training in recent months already had stirred conversation about whether he might accelerate his comeback for the Autumn Nations Series, though France ultimately resisted that temptation.
Toulouse has coped well without him, maintaining its position as the league’s dominant side, but the timing of his return suggests a deliberate build toward both domestic and European objectives. Whether he features for 20 minutes or 40 this weekend, his presence on the bench alone will shift the texture of the contest against Racing.
His comeback also adds early intrigue to a Top 14 season that resumes full-strength ahead of the opening round of the Champions Cup.
With Toulouse looking to stretch its lead, and Racing 92 chasing a move into the top 3, the spotlight on Dupont’s return only heightens the stakes.
If all goes to plan, this weekend marks the first step in a carefully managed return that could carry him back into France colors early next year. For now, Toulouse is preparing to welcome back its most influential player at a moment when every point matters.
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