The Stade Toulousain captain, Antoine Dupont, has added to his long list of achievements by winning the prestigious Investec Player of the Year award for a second time.
The world-class Dupont is the first player to scoop the prized individual accolade on two occasions having previously won the vote in 2021 and this latest distinction comes on the back of another outstanding series of performances in the pool and knockout stages of this season’s Investec Champions Cup.
As he had done three years ago, Dupont led Stade Toulousain to victory in what was a dramatic final at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and in addition to the Player of the Year award, he was also named Investec Player of the Match following the tension-packed win after extra-time against Leinster Rugby.
He was presented with the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy by Olive Foley and her sons, Tony and Dan, as well as a specially engraved medal following the showpiece match.
Close to 30 000 votes were cast by fans on InvestecChampionsCup.com for the second phase of voting and the public’s verdict was combined with the decision of an expert panel of judges and once again the stellar Dupont came out on top.
Leinster Rugby’s Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan were nominated for the 2024 award along with the Northampton Saints duo, Courtney Lawes and Fin Smith, as well as the Harlequins playmaker, Marcus Smith.
The Judging Panel consisted of Jim Hamilton (two-time Investec Champions Cup winner), Francois Louw (2019 Rugby World Cup winner), Ugo Monye (TNT Sports and two-time EPCR Challenge Cup winner), Elma Smit (sports presenter and producer), Dimitri Yachvili (France Télévisions and EPCR Challenge Cup winner)
Roll of Honour
2023: Gregory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
2022: Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
2021: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
2020: Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
2019: Alex Goode (Saracens)
2018: Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011: Sean O’Brien (Leinster Rugby)
2010: Ronan O’Gara (Munster Rugby – best player of first 15 years of European club rugby)
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