France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont earned two-thirds of the public vote to be named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year for 2021.

Dupont is the first Frenchman to win the prestigious award since former France captain and loose forward Thierry Dusautoir in 2011.

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The 25-year-old has been at the heart of a fast-developing young France team capturing the imagination ahead of a home World Cup in 2023.

He crossed for three tries in the Six Nations and then was handed the captaincy for the Autumn Nations Series, leading France to three wins, including a first over New Zealand on home soil since 2000. 

Dupont fended off competition from Australian duo Samu Kerevi and Michael Hooper, as well as England’s Maro Itoje, to win the award.

This comes after he was the only France player to be named in World Rugby’s 2021 Team of the Year.