France skipper Antoine Dupont will not play in any of the upcoming Nations Championship matches because of a calf injury, it was announced Monday.
Dupont was a key part of the Toulouse squad that wrapped up a fourth consecutive Top 14 title with victory over Montpellier on Saturday.
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He was to be one of nine players from the Top 14 final called up to the France squad, including six from Toulouse: Ntamack, hooker Peato Mauvaka, lock Emmanuel Meafou, back-rower Alexandre Roumat and centre Kalvin Gourgues.
Already unavailable for the opening Nations Championship match against New Zealand on July 4, the 29-year-old scrum-half will now also miss games against Australia on July 11 and Japan a week later.
"An MRI performed this morning, following the pain I've been feeling since the (Top 14) semi-final, revealed a calf injury," Dupont said on social media.
"So it is with a heavy heart that I have to withdraw from the squad for the matches against Australia and Japan."
Dupont will be replaced in the squad by his Toulouse teammate Paul Graou. The two other scrum-halves included are tour captain Maxime Lucu of Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles and Racing 92's Nolann Le Garrec.
His absence is a blow for a player who had been hoping to make a first summer tour with France since 2017, with senior players often rested.
It also comes just a year out from the Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Dupont has endured a stop-start season, returning from a serious knee ligament injury sustained against Ireland in the 2025 Six Nations only in late November.
After a lukewarm 2026 Six Nations, Dupont then picked up a groin injury that saw him reduced to being a spectator for a spell.
But he was back to his imperious best as the domestic season ended, shining for Toulouse in their 71-17 Top 14 semi-final demolition of Racing 92.
He was substituted off in the 64th minute of Saturday's final, which Toulouse won 28-20, not seemingly in any apparent discomfort. Dupont even reappeared late in the game as a replacement for fly-half Romain Ntamack.
Three Montpellier players were also selected: back-rower Lenni Nouchi, lock Florian Verhaeghe and centre Auguste Cadot.
