BY FOSTER NIUMATA
Since Antoine Dupont broke a cheekbone in a tackle at the Rugby World Cup, France has been feeding crumbs of positivity about its talismanic captain.
Surgery two weeks ago went well, he’s rejoined the squad, he’s training lightly under medical supervision. His rehabilitation is on track, the tournament host team tells worried French supporters.
The severity of the fracture hasn’t been detailed and Dupont’s surgeon will decide on Monday when the 2021 world player of the year can boost training.
The outcome of previous players who have suffered broken cheekbones suggests Dupont’s availability will be dicey even for the final at the end of this month. Sam Cane’s injury last October made him miss New Zealand’s last three tests of 2022. Teammate Brodie Retallick took six weeks to return to action in August last year.
“Depending on how bad it is,” Retallick said after Dupont was hurt,
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