The French scrum-half Antoine Dupont is one of four nominated for the title of player of the year 2021, according to the list unveiled Monday by the governing body of world rugby World Rugby.
The current captain of the Blues was selected along with English second row Maro Itoje and two Australians, third row Michael Hooper and center Samu Kerevi.
Two French women also named
Only two French - the former scrum half and current coach Fabien Galthié, in 2002, and the former third row Thierry Dusautoir, in 2011 - obtained this distinction, which had fallen in 2019 to the South African third row Pieter- Steph Du Toit.
Two French women, Caroline Boujard and Laure Sansus, were also nominated for the title of player of the year, along with two English women, Zoe Aldcroft and Poppy Cleall.