French Rugby Captain Antoine Dupont’s Swift Surgery and Race Against Time for World Cup Return

The stakes are incredibly high, and the French rugby team wasted no time in responding to the situation. Following a brutal collision with Namibian captain Johan Deysel, Antoine Dupont was diagnosed with a maxillo-zygomatic fracture. The incident occurred during a match on Thursday evening, and the French captain’s immediate priority is making a swift recovery, ideally before the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup on October 28.

To enhance his chances of a speedy return, both the French team’s management and Dupont himself opted for surgery in Toulouse on Friday night, just one day after the injury occurred. According to sources close to the French squad, the procedure at CHU Purpan was successful. Dupont underwent osteosynthesis, during which two plates were surgically implanted on his face.

Maxillofacial surgeon François Morel commented that performing the surgery the day after the injury is defensible, as it maximizes the post-operation recovery period, especially in preparation for a potential semi-final on October 20 or 21. He noted that the surgery is more complex when conducted during the acute phase immediately following the injury.

While precise predictions regarding Dupont’s return remain elusive, insiders suggest that he could resume training within ten days. There is even optimism that he might return to competitive play within three to four weeks, should his recovery progress as hoped.

This timeline sets up a high-stakes race against time. In the most optimistic scenario, a three-week recovery would potentially align with the quarter-final match scheduled for October 14 or 15, depending on the French team’s standing. A more reasonable outlook suggests that Dupont could target the semi-finals on October 20 or 21, assuming France qualifies.

Prior to the surgery, François Morel had indicated that a minimum of four weeks would be required before Dupont could return to the rugby field. Both the French national team and Dupont himself are now fully committed to this intense race against the clock.