Antoine Dupont has returned “better than ever” to XVs after winning Olympic sevens gold in the summer, says France flanker Francois Cros.

Scrum-half Dupont, 27, has been named captain for France’s opening Autumn Nations Series game against Japan on Saturday, in his first game in international XVs since his side’s devastating home Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat by South Africa last October.

Having spent 2024 focusing on sevens, the former World Player of the Year set up a try and scored two himself as France beat Fiji 28-7 to win their first gold of the Paris Olympics in July.

“It was something incredible for him and French rugby,” Cros said.

“Since he’s come back, after having a good break, he’s better than what he was before.

“So it’s obviously a pleasure to have him back.”

After an extended break, Dupont returned last month and scored a 13-minute hat-trick off the bench for Toulouse in a 48-14 victory over Clermont.

Despite missing this year’s Six Nations and France’s summer tour of Argentina to focus on learning the shortened format, he continued playing for his club side Toulouse when possible, starring as his side won the Investec Champions Cup in May.

He will be partnered by Toulouse team-mate Thomas Ramos, who starts at fly-half in preference to regular 10 Matthieu Jalibert, with Dupont taking back the captaincy from number eight Gregory Alldritt for the match against Eddie Jones’ side.

“The question didn’t even need to be asked, it’s natural to us for him to be captain,” Cros said.

“Since he’s come back, his standards have been the same if not better. There was no doubt about that subject.”

CHELSEA and Arsenal are set to join Manchester United in the battle to sign Europe’s most in-demand player Viktor Gyokeres.

The Sporting Lisbon sensation is now widely expected to leave the Portuguese giants at the end of the season.

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He could follow his current boss Ruben Amorim to Old Trafford – with United chiefs willing to pay the £63m it would take to sign him.

But Sun Online has learned the Swedish superstar’s advisors are pushing for a move to a club in the Champions League.

And that’s put Arsenal and Chelsea, who are bidding to qualify for Europe’s top competition next season, on red-alert.

The Gunners might have a head start though.

Mikel Areta’s side have been scouting Gyokeres over the past 12 months in their search for more firepower up top.

But Chelsea are also on the lookout for a prolific number nine and the young Swede would fit the bill.

The both clubs are also in a far better position to be able to offer the player the Champions League football he so dearly craves, with United languishing in 13th in the Prem.

Sporting reportedly have a gentleman’s agreement with Gyokeres to let him go for less than his release clause which is set at around £84m.

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The 26-year-old’s current contract expires in 2028.

He has has gone from Championship striker to one of the world’s best in a whirlwind year.

The Swedish forward enhanced his reputation with a hat-trick in a shock 4-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Sporting would look for around £67m but could accept as little as £63m.

And that is likely to interest a host of Prem giants.

Amorim ruled out taking him with him to United in January – but said he does expect the forward to look for a new challenge in the summer.

He said: “I’ve just made peace with the Sporting fans so I’m not even going to make a joke about it.

“Gyokeres is a Sporting player and it’s is a great club, he did a lot for the club. He just has to stay and finish the season at the club.”

His 66 goals in 67 appearances has already drawn interest from Saudi Arabia.

With Gyokeres likely to stay in Portugal for the rest of the season, United are also being tipped to go for another Sporting star.

Reports say they are tracking 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda, who has impressed this season.

Amorim is preparing to leave Sporting for Old Trafford next week and could bring a couple of players along with him.

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Manager Mikel Arteta says it is “difficult to accept” that Arsenal were not awarded a penalty in their 1-0 Champions League defeat by Inter Milan.

Arteta felt midfielder Mikel Merino had been punched by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer when he tried to claim a cross.

READ MORE: ‘We were harshly done by’ – but how much have Arsenal missed Odegaard?

Formula 1’s drivers have called for FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to “consider his own tone and language” through a Grand Prix Drivers’ Association statement, in the wake of controversy over swearing.

A statement posted on the GPDA’s new Instagram account outlined a collective statement from its members, showing unity with Max Verstappen as the Dutchman was given effective community service by the FIA for swearing in Singapore’s Thursday press conference.

Charles Leclerc was also fined €10,000 for swearing in Mexico’s post-race press conference, half of which was suspended for 12 months on the provision that there were no repeat offences.

It also stated that the FIA should be more willing to treat the drivers as adults, referencing the media missives handed out during 2022 on wearing jewellery in the car – which appeared to be targeted at Lewis Hamilton.

The statement read that, although the drivers accepted that they must abide by the “referee’s decision”, the GPDA wished to collaborate with F1 and the FIA to ensure that all decisions are to the benefit of the championship and its spectacle.

The GPDA also suggested that it was unhappy with the levying of driver fines, particularly as it felt the use of those fines was not fully transparent. 

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, congratulates Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

It asked that Ben Sulayem should “provide financial transparency” for the application of any money accrued from fines, and that all stakeholders should be in agreement of where to put that money.

Furthermore, the GPDA cited that it felt it was playing its part in helping to ensure F1 was well promoted for the benefit of everyone involved in the championship – and called upon other stakeholders to do the same. 

Of the current drivers, George Russell is a director of the GPDA, as is four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. Former F1 driver and two-time Le Mans 24 Hour winner Alexander Wurz is currently the GPDA’s chairman.

The GPDA statement in full

GPDA Statement regarding “Driver Misconduct”

“As is the case with every sport, competitors must abide by the referee’s decision, whether they like it or not, indeed whether they agree with it or not. That is how sport works. The Drivers (our members) are no different, and fully understand that.

“Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula 1, the pinnacle of international motorsport. They are the gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.

“With regards to swearing, there is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing, such as you might use to describe bad weather, or indeed an inanimate object such as a Formula 1 car, or a driving situation.

“We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, is congratulated on the podium by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

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“The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that Driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our Sport. For the past 3 years, we have called upon the FIA President to share the details and strategy regarding how the FIA’s financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent.

“We have also relayed our concerns about the negative image financial fines bring to the Sport. We once again request that the FIA President provide financial transparency and direct, open dialogue with us. All stakeholders (FIA, F1, the Teams and the GPDA) should jointly determine how and where the money is spent for the benefit of our Sport.

“The GPDA wishes to collaborate in a constructive way with all the stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote our great Sport for the benefit of everyone who works in it, pays for it, watches it, and indeed loves it. We are playing our part.

“Best regards,

“The Directors and Chairman of the GPDA on behalf of the Grand Prix Drivers

“#RacingUnited for our Safety, our Sport, our Fans.”

Mohamed Salah (captain), Liverpool, midfielder, £12.8m – home to Aston Villa

Why change a winning formula? Salah has scored in his past three, he netted in this fixture last season, Villa just shipped four at Spurs and have one day’s less rest than Liverpool after a trip to Belgium in the Champions League.

Simple captain choice this week.

Alejandro Garnacho, Manchester United, midfielder, £6.3m – home to Leicester City

Garnacho was a player to watch last week and is straight into the team for gameweek 11.

The reasons behind his selection?

Only Salah has had more shots on target.

Only Salah has had more big chances.

Top players tend to outscore their xG – Salah for example has seven goals to an xG of 5.63 – but Garnacho is the other way round.

He has two goals from an xG of 3.39. There’s only one player with an xG higher than that who doesn’t have at least four goals…

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, midfielder, £8.2m – home to Leicester City

Yes – that midfielder is Fernandes with one goal to show for an xG of 3.74, and that was a penalty last week against Chelsea.

Fernandes was fantastic against Leicester in the EFL Cup – Steve Cooper did make a few changes – when United scored five. He finished with two goals, could have been more.

With the boost of a new manager on the way, United surely have to end this low-scoring run and what better chance than at home to a Leicester side who have conceded just under two goals per game.