All Blacks v France: Antoine Dupont wary of New Zealand ‘threat’

French halfback Antoine Dupont in action during last year's Rugby World Cup quarter-final. Photo / Photosport

France superstar Antoine Dupont said he was cautious of New Zealand’s “threat” before the in-form All Blacks head to Paris this weekend.

New Zealand prepared for the trip to Stade de France, where they lost last year’s Rugby World Cup final by a point to South Africa, by gliding past Ireland on Friday for a first win in Dublin since 2016.

Six days earlier, they edged England at Twickenham.

Les Bleus opened their November internationals with an easy 52-12 win over Japan as halfback Dupont made his return to the XV-a-side set-up after his gold medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics.

“We all love seeing the All Blacks playing like that as rugby fans,” Dupont told reporters.

“Their physicality across the team was remarkable over the past two weekends, more so than their individualities.

“I think they’ll come with that same mentality next weekend.

“It’s up to us to raise our level to respond to the threat that’s coming,” he added.

Dupont, who turns 28 on Friday, had last featured for his country in the longer form of the sport during last October’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to the Springboks.

Against the lacklustre Brave Blossoms, Dupont, World Rugby’s player of the year in 2021, looked like he had never been away.

The Toulouse halfback provided two assists and showed his class with a pair of delicate backdoor passes.

“He found things hard, I gave him a bit of advice,” hooker Peato Mauvaka jokingly told reporters.

“He does a lot of good on the team with his leadership and gives us some go-forward.

“We’re happy to have him back with us,” Dupont’s club and test teammate added.

Before heading to the Northern Hemisphere for their season-ending tour, the All Blacks and new head coach Scott Robertson had been under pressure, finishing second in the Rugby Championship behind a dominant South Africa.

Wins over Japan, England and in the Irish capital have quietened doubters, with flanker Wallace Sititi, No 8 Ardie Savea and fullback Will Jordan standing out.

“They seem to be in a very good place,” France head coach Fabien Galthie said.

“They followed up a win over Japan with a win over England and a trip to Ireland, a clean win, without any blunders.

“The All Blacks are at the summit of their rugby,” Galthie said.

“It’s in their continuity and evolution.”

Despite New Zealand’s upturn in results, they have not beaten France since 2018.

The losses include a defeat in the opening game of last year’s World Cup and conceding 40 points in the French capital in 2021.

The last time New Zealand lost three straight games to France was in the mid-1990s.

“I’ve always thought New Zealand as being monstrous,” Mauvaka said.

“We had the fortune of beating them twice.

“The match they had on [Saturday] was big in terms of physicality.

“We really want to respond to that next week.”

All Blacks v France, Sunday 9.10am

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