[VIDEO] Rugby World Cup: Arthur Vincent asserts that « Antoine Dupont is our captain, the world’s best player. »

Que avez-vous fait pendant ces trois jours de congé ?

I was able to return to my family in Montpellier. It’s great to have this time to take a break. We have been back on the field since this morning, feeling refreshed.

Comment avez-vous vécu cette compétition au cours des trois dernières semaines ?

C’est un évènement à part. Collectivement, ça se passe super bien. On vit bien la chose tous ensemble, il me tarde de jouer ce dernier match de phase de poule. On a le temps pour le préparer. On sent cet engouement chaque fois qu’on arrive dans les hôtels, les gares. C’est vraiment bien de pouvoir évoluer dans cet atmosphère. Ca nous porte, vraiment.

Comment percevez-vous les actualités concernant Antoine Dupont ?

It’s a tough blow. Antoine, our captain, is the best player in the world. We support him greatly, we think of him. Unfortunately, we have already faced this kind of situation before, we have a close-knit group. We hope he will join us very soon. Thursday night was a special evening between the victory and Antoine’s injury. But now, we are focused on Italy.

Avez-vous des informations rassurantes à son sujet ?

We haven’t received any specific information. He is well supported, and the staff will handle the situation in the best possible way with him. We have discussed it among ourselves, of course. It’s part of being a team, and it’s normal to be concerned about a teammate’s health.

Comment gère-t-on le désir de revenir après une blessure et la réalité de sa condition physique ?

As soon as he left the field, he received excellent support. From his loved ones and healthcare professionals. Regarding this, we know that it will be well handled. Now, the decision that will be made will be the best one. It will go smoothly, I have no doubt about it.

What did you think of South Africa – Ireland?

It was one of the biggest matches of this World Cup. We are always attentive to the different matches. It was a tough, close match. It ended well for Ireland, but it could have been the case for the South Africans.

Can Alldritt, Ollivon, and Fickou take over the leadership?

Things will happen naturally. We have a group of leaders who have been working together for four years. Each person knows their role and contributes to the team. Therefore, there won’t be any major changes. Everyone will take on their responsibilities. Antoine will still be with the group, so it won’t change anything.

What does Antoine Dupont bring to you in terms of human connection and in the game?

Everyone has a role within this group. Having Antoine with us in the videos, in the training sessions, he will surely have things to say, his expertise will be there. His presence will be important both on a human level and tactically.

Est-ce que deux semaines pour se préparer à l’Italie semblent être une durée interminable ou un avantage ?

A little bit of both. We naturally want to play matches one after another, once we have fully recovered. But it is also important to have this time to prepare the match well and be ready. The schedule has been presented to us, we know how things will unfold until the next match. The time will feel long to us, but we will use this time to recover properly and be fully prepared.

What does Charles Ollivon bring to everyday life?

Il ne joue pas très bien à la coinche déjà, ça ne sera pas sa partie. Charles a été capitaine au début du mandat. Par rapport à ça, il a ce leadership naturel. Il sait prendre la parole au bon moment. C’est un élément pour nous par rapport à ça. Dans le secteur de la touche et du combat, il est aussi essentiel. Il sait quand oui ou non il faut appuyer sur le bouton.