A single tricolor, but not just any.
The scrum-half of Toulouse and the Blues Antoine Dupont, captain of the XV of France who brought down New Zealand during the last autumn tour, is the only Frenchman to appear in the world team of the year, revealed Wednesday by World Rugby.
In this "dream team" are three All Blacks, including winger Will Jordan, the revelation of the year who scored sixteen tries in eleven selections including fourteen this year, and the superstar Beauden Barrett as opener.
The latter forms a gala hinge with Antoine Dupont.
Living the dream ...
Introducing the 2021 Men's 15s Dream Team of the Year, in association with @ Capgemini # WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/wyu0X466M3
- World Rugby (@WorldRugby) December 8, 2021
There are also five world champion Springboks (center Lukhanyo Am, winger Makazole Mapimpi, flanker Siya Kolisi, second row Eben Etzebeth, hooker Malcolm Marx), an Englishman (second row Maro Itoje), a Scottish (rear Stuart Hogg), an Irishman (pillar Tadhg Furlong), a Welsh (the other pillar Wyn Jones) and two Australians (flanker Michael Hooper and center Samu Kerevi).
A total of eight countries are represented for a combined number of 850 capes.
Dupont (25 years old, 33 caps) is also in the race for the title of best player of the year, which will be awarded on Friday and of which he is the big favorite.
He would become the third French after Fabien Galthié (2002) and Thierry Dusautoir to receive this distinction.
🔵🤩 Only 𝐵𝑙𝑒𝑢𝑒𝑠 in my Team!
#WorldRugbyAwards
1⃣ Annaëlle Deshayes
2⃣ Agathe Sochat
4⃣ Safi N'Diaye
9⃣ Laure Sansus
🔟 Caroline Drouin
1⃣4⃣ Caroline Boujard
Bravo mesdames, bravo le #XVdeFrance! Pic.twitter.com/Tocas4iz5m
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) December 8, 2021
Among women, the Blue are the most represented contingent within the team of the year.
Six Frenchwomen are aligned in this starting XV, logical reward for an unbeaten team during the autumn tour and which signed two impressive victories against the Black Ferns, female equivalent of the All Blacks.
A unique XV 🤩
It's time to reveal the Dream Team of the Women's XV of the Year 2021, in association with @ Capgemini # WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/q4Wg3VwFa1
- World Rugby FR (@WorldRugby_FR) December 8, 2021
The pillar Annaëlle Deshayes, the hooker Agathe Sochat, the second row Safi Ndiaye, the scrum half Laure Sansus, the opener Caroline Drouin and finally the wing Caroline Boujard were distinguished by World Rugby.
The XV of France will be one of the favorites for the title at the World Cup in New Zealand next year.