Sport

Antoine Dupont named the greatest men’s rugby player in the world right now

Published

12 months ago

December 15, 2024

FRENCH rugby star Antoine Dupont has been named as the number one player in the world right now, following the release of a new ranking, the world’s ‘Top 100 Men’s Rugby Players 2024’, compiled by leading global rugby site, RugbyPass.

Dupont, the talismanic scrum half, with 55 international caps, has been at the heart of recent successes for France and his club team, Toulouse. Dupont also recently helped his nation win Gold in the Rugby Sevens at this year’s Paris Olympic Games.

In second place is Cheslin Kolbe, who played a crucial role in the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup 2023 win, with his compatriots, Pieter-Steph du Toit, (3rd) and Eben Etzebeth (4th), and with New Zealand star, Ardie Savea, making up the top five.

South Africa has the highest share of players (18), followed by New Zealand (17), Ireland (14). France see 11 players represented. Elsewhere, other nations represented include England (8), Argentina (7), Australia (7), Scotland (7), Italy (4), Fiji (4), Wales (3) and Georgia (1).

The three players from Wales who made the cut are Tomos Williams, who just sneaks onto the list in 99^th place, Dewi Lake in 83^rd position and Jac Morgan with a respectable finish in 57^th. Speaking about Morgan’s inclusion, Welsh journalist Owain Jones said: “In 2024, his growing influence was dimmed due to a knee injury and Wales’ fortunes plummeted. He returned for the Autumn Nations Series where he was one of Wales’ shining lights in a tortuous campaign.”

Commenting on Dupont claiming top spot, former Scotland international Johnnie Beattie, said: “I think that was the only choice. He’s absolutely outrageous every single week and he’s a great boy as well which makes it even better. He’s inspired an entire rugby nation.

“Everyone knows who Antoine Dupont is from his success with Sevens at the Olympics and his success with Toulouse domestically – doing a double again last year, he has been a phenomenon and he still is. I think we’re lucky to get to watch him play every single weekend here in France in the Top 14, but also when he graces the international scene. He’s a pure joy to watch and he’s everything positive that you want in a rugby player.

“The way he gets you out of the seat and his personality off field and the way he leads, all of it, and that’s without even getting into how he actually plays the game. The explosive power that he has for a man of his size, his vision, his ability to see things other people can’t, his rugby IQ, his decision making, his ability to kick off each foot as well as the other, which is unseen. His ability to offload, to jackal, to create turnovers like a back rower, he is the most complete rugby player I think that we have ever seen.”

Despite the heavy Springbok representation, there was also praise from South African legend Jean De Villiers, who said: “If you take Antoine Dupont in isolation and see what he’s done in the past, maybe not the Autumn Nation Series – it wasn’t quite the impact he had previously – and obviously moving over to the Sevens for a stage as well makes it difficult. But, isolating him as a player and having seen what he’s done before, having seen his skillset, his defensive abilities, his rucking ability, his attacking ability, his kicking, his decision making, he really does have everything when it comes to being a number nine. So, let’s just say I’m ‘comfortable’ with him being number one!”

Former French star, Benjamin Kayser who made 47 appearances for this country, said: “Antoine Dupont, for me, he’s a Michael Jordan type of athlete. I’m totally biased of course, but I reckon in 50 years’ time people will talk about how they were a part of the Antoine Dupont era and how they got to see him play live.

“I think it’s the way that he plays. He’s a small man but he’s a silent assassin, he never yells, he never screams, and I think people really respect his attitude. He’s so calm and collected, never mouthy or arrogant, you never see him celebrate, chant, push, or be annoying. He’s just an absolute machine.

“Tell me one other time in the history of rugby where it’s absolutely unanimous from the players, in the northern and southern hemisphere, where everyone will say that he’s the best player in the world – it just doesn’t exist.

“The other week I was surrounded by footballers who knew nothing about rugby but every single one of them knew Antoine Dupont. They know where he plays, his position, what he looks like, it’s just mad.”

Kayser also believes that some French players were a little bit lucky to be ranked in their respective positions. He said: “Grégory Alldritt. I love the bloke, but I think you’re actually being quite generous putting him at 33. He didn’t have his best international season. He’s tired. I love the bloke but maybe in 2023, he would’ve been top 10 in the world, he was outstanding back then.

“I think Charles Ollivon at 43, is way too generous. It’s really nice of the writers but he hasn’t played. He’s been dropped too, so to put him in with the best players of 2024 is questionable.”

Looking ahead, both Beattie and Kayser gave their views on their ones to watch for next year’s list. Beattie, said: “There’s one lad who maybe caught a few eyes during the Autumn Nations Series and I’ve been watching him play for Bordeaux because I work closely on Top 14 rugby – Louis Bielle-Biarrey at 58. He already for me is in the top 30, maybe even the top 20 players in the world…He is a balanced runner and he’s sort of wise in rugby terms way beyond his years as well.”

Kayser says “Wallace Sititi is going to be a phenomenal player for the next ten years. He is an absolute freak of nature and I can’t wait to see him play again. Number 14, for me, is a bit high at this point though. He barely rocked up four months ago, people were only just discovering him last summer.”

Sport

Bluebirds’ European Journey Continues in Season Four of You Can Have It All

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Club documentary series returns to document Haverfordwest County’s historic UEFA Conference League campaign

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY has confirmed the return of their club documentary series, You Can Have It All (YCHIA), later this month, showcasing the thrilling journey of last summer’s European adventure.

YCHIA first began filming in 2021, with Season One covering a rollercoaster 2021-22 campaign for the Bluebirds. The season ended with a dramatic top-flight survival, following a challenging period. Season Two shifted focus to the 2022-23 season, which saw the club qualify for Europe for the first time since 2004. The Bluebirds’ stunning play-off victory, which included back-to-back penalty shoot-out wins against Cardiff Met and Newtown, marked manager Tony Pennock’s first season in charge as a major success.

The excitement intensified as the series continued to cover their historic European campaign, which began with a trip to North Macedonia to face KF Shkëndija. Returning to Cardiff City Stadium for the second leg, the Bluebirds made club history by winning their first-ever European tie on penalties. The drama then took them to the Faroe Islands to face B36 Tórshavn, where they were controversially edged out by a single goal in the return leg.

Now, with further continental success under their belts, YCHIA returns for its fourth season, documenting last summer’s European adventure. This season follows Haverfordwest County’s journey through the qualifying rounds of the newly rebranded UEFA Conference League (UECL).

Providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access, the series tracks the Bluebirds’ travels to Malta for the first leg of their UECL first qualifying round tie against Floriana, and the return leg at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli a week later. The season also covers the build-up to the competition, including a visit to Geneva for the UEFA draw and a match against reigning Northern Ireland champions Linfield at Windsor Park, the national stadium.

Season Four will be released in three episodes on December 18, December 23, and January 2. You can watch You Can Have It All on Haverfordwest County’s YouTube channel by following this link. The club will also share highlights and snippets of the documentary across their social media platforms, so be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)!

News

Pembroke Dock coach helped steer Lando Norris to F1 world title

Published

3 days ago

December 11, 2025

Seren Baker

Local mentor recalls seven-year-old Norris as “one to watch from day one”

A FORMER Pembroke Dock man has been revealed as one of the earliest influences behind newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris – adding an unexpected Pembrokeshire chapter to one of the biggest sporting stories of the year.

Robert Dodds, who grew up in Pembroke Dock before later moving to Poole, was Norris’s first coach at BKC Racing. He began mentoring the future McLaren star when he was just seven years old, helping shape the early foundations of a career that reached its peak on Sunday (Dec 7) when Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Dodds said Norris’s talent was obvious from the very first outing.

“There was something special about him from day one,” he said. “By the time he was eight, he was already as quick as the 10–12-year-olds. He just had this will about him – he wanted it.”

Pembrokeshire link to a global success story

Dodds coached Norris for four years, guiding him through kart setup, technique, and competitive racecraft. He says he remains “immensely proud” that his own Pembrokeshire roots now form a small part of the world champion’s rise.

“Ten or fifteen years ago he was sat in the front of my van as we drove to tracks,” he said. “Now he’s flying around the world racing in Monaco. It’s incredible how far he’s come.”

That early development included a fierce sibling rivalry with Norris’s older brother, Oliver – something Dodds believes accelerated his progress.

“Because of that rivalry, his pace shot up. He wanted to beat his brother – and then he wanted to beat everyone.”

BKC Racing has produced other top talents too, including 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Phil Hanson, further underlining the pedigree of the team that helped launch Norris’s career.

The moment a champion first stood out

Dodds still recalls an early test at Clay Pigeon Raceway, where a seven-year-old Norris completed a lap in 39 seconds – a benchmark usually achieved only by much older cadet racers.

“He came past me with his thumb up – this tiny kid doing senior cadet times. That was the moment we knew.”

Norris seals his first world title

Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019, claimed his first podium in 2020, took pole position in 2021 and secured his first Grand Prix win in Miami in 2024. His 2025 campaign saw him take multiple victories before clinching the world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to lift the title.

Pride back home in Pembrokeshire

Motorsport fans across the county followed Sunday’s title decider closely, with many celebrating the unexpected local connection.

A local F1 fan who watched the race in a Haverfordwest pub told The Herald:
“Everyone here was proud of Lando – and hearing that one of his early coaches came from Pembroke Dock makes it feel like Pembrokeshire had a tiny part in his journey.”

Dodds, who continues to mentor young racers today, says Norris’s success is already inspiring the next generation.

“It’s like something out of a film. I’m proud of what he’s achieved – and proud to have been part of the journey.”

For Pembrokeshire, the story adds a local footnote to a global sporting triumph – and a reminder that world champions sometimes start out much closer to home than anyone realises.

Cover image:

Proud mentor: Pembroke Dock’s Robert Dodds helped shape Norris’s early racing career (Pic: Robert Dodds)

Sport

South Pembs Short Mat Bowls: East Williamston strengthen lead after Week 11

Published

5 days ago

December 9, 2025

Herald Sport

EAST Williamston tightened their grip at the top of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League table following another strong set of results in Week 11.

The week’s fixtures saw Lamphey beat Hundleton 8–2, St Johns defeat Badgers 8–2, Carew overcome Reynalton 7–3, and East Williamston record an impressive 8–2 win over Kilgetty.

The match between Llanteg and Cosheston was postponed, while St Twynnells had the bye. A catch-up fixture was also completed, ending St Twynnells 5–5 Cosheston.

Updated league table – Week 11

(Played – Won – Drawn – Lost – Shot Difference – Points)

East Williamston: 9–8–1–0 | +136 | 70 points
Reynalton: 9–5–1–3 | +54 | 53 points
St Johns: 9–4–1–4 | +14 | 46 points
Lamphey: 10–5–0–5 | +5 | 44 points
Hundleton: 9–4–1–4 | –17 | 44 points
St Twynnells: 9–4–1–4 | –34 | 43 points
Badgers: 10–3–1–6 | –41 | 43 points
Llanteg: 8–4–0–4 | –5 | 41 points
Cosheston: 9–3–1–5 | –13 | 40 points
Carew: 8–4–0–4 | –44 | 39 points
Kilgetty: 10–4–0–6 | –55 | 38 points

East Williamston remain clear leaders with a substantial shot-difference advantage, while the battle for the mid-table positions continues to tighten as the season progresses.

The South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association thanked teams for their cooperation with rearranged fixtures as the league moves toward the final stages.

Report courtesy of League Fixtures Secretary Steve Cox.