PARIS — The French rugby federation announced on Monday that scrumhalf Antoine Dupont will lead the team as captain during the upcoming autumn tests.

Dupont recently celebrated winning the Olympic gold medal in rugby sevens, which took place this summer in France. Just last week, he was named among the squad preparing for upcoming matches against Japan, New Zealand, and Argentina next month.

It has been a while since Dupont last played for the France XV; he hasn’t been on the field since their World Cup quarterfinal defeat to South Africa in October of the previous year. Following that loss, he chose to forgo the Six Nations to focus on rugby sevens, seizing the unique opportunity to compete for an Olympic title in his home country.

In Dupont’s absence, Grégory Alldritt and Baptiste Serin took on the captaincy roles for the French team.

The news of Dupont’s return to leadership comes as France prepares for a challenging series of matches that will test the team’s depth and resilience. Fans are eagerly looking forward to seeing how Dupont will harness his experience and skills to guide the squad during these important tests.

As the autumn series approaches, the excitement around French rugby continues to grow, with expectations high for DuPont’s performance as he steps back into a pivotal role.