France captain Antoine Dupont withdraws from Nations Championship with calf injury, Paul Graou called up as replacement

Shock withdrawal

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced on Monday, 29 June, that Antoine Dupont had withdrawn from the Nations Championship, the new competition pitting the northern hemisphere against the southern hemisphere. The scrum-half, who had just secured a fourth consecutive Top 14 title with Toulouse, was set to travel as one of nine finalists added to the national squad. The FFR did not initially specify the reason, but Dupont himself disclosed it on social media.

“An MRI carried out this morning, following pain felt since the semi-final, revealed a calf lesion. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I must give up my selection.”

Injury background

Dupont had been struggling with the injury since the Top 14 semi-final, where Toulouse defeated Racing 92 by a large margin. In the final against Montpellier on Saturday, he went off in the 64th minute but returned to finish the match, even scoring a try. Despite his resilience, the MRI on Monday morning confirmed the lesion, forcing him out of a tour that would have been his first with the French team since 2017.

The 29-year-old had already endured a challenging season. He only returned to play in late November after rupturing the cruciate ligaments in his right knee during the 2025 Six Nations match against Ireland. He also missed a significant portion of the spring due to an adductor injury, limiting his game time before the Top 14 playoffs.

Replacement and squad changes

Paul Graou, Dupont's teammate at Toulouse, has been called up for the first time at international level. The 28-year-old, who has no caps, will now join the travelling squad. Six other Toulouse players from the final are included: Romain Ntamack, Peato Mauvaka, Manny Meafou, Alexandre Roumat and Kalvin Gourgues. Montpellier also contributes Lenni Nouchi, Florian Verhaegue and Auguste Cadot.

Tournament schedule

The Nations Championship begins for France on Saturday, 4 July, against New Zealand in Christchurch. They then travel to Brisbane to face Australia on 11 July, and conclude the tour against Japan in Tokyo on 18 July. Dupont had initially been expected to sit out the first Test but was available for the last two matches; now he will miss the entire series.

Impact on France

Losing their captain is a significant blow for head coach Fabien Galthié, who had been eager to bring senior players to the southern hemisphere after years of resting them during summer tours. With the 2027 World Cup in Australia just a year away, this tour was viewed as an important opportunity to build cohesion. Dupont's absence leaves a leadership vacuum, and the uncapped Graou faces a steep learning curve against top-tier opposition.