France scrum-half Julien Dupuy is relishing the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong after his recall to face England on Sunday.
Recalled scrum-half keen to prove his doubters wrong
France scrum-half Julien Dupuy is relishing the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong after his recall to face England on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Stade Francais ace will win his eighth cap in the RBS Six Nations clash in his first start since November 2009.
Former France head coach Marc Lievremont famously described him as being too carefree and Dupuy is keen to prove this assessment wrong on Sunday.
He said: "That annoyed me at the time.
"There is a difference between being not stressed and being nonchalant. When someone says that I don't care about anything, that is simply not true.
"I don't show it but that is not to say I am not thinking and that I am not taking in what is going on in terms of strategy during the match."
Lost time
Dupuy is also making up for lost time after a 23-week ban in December 2009 for gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris in a European Cup match put a stop to his burgeoning international career.
The fact that he is questioned about the Ferris incident still grates with Dupuy.
"Honestly it really annoys me that I am still asked about it three years after it happened," he said.
"It is in the past, it is something I should not have done, but I still think it was too heavy a punishment. Full stop."
Dupuy has been handed his chance along with Toulouse fly-half Lionel Beauxis by coach Philippe Saint-Andre.
The former Stade Francais half-back partnership - team-mates from 2009-11 - have been drafted in after ineffective performances by Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh Duc in the draw with Ireland last time.
Beauxis, who ended the 2007 World Cup as the first choice fly-half, for his part has never ruffled feathers in the manner of Dupuy.
Mute sidekick
In fact the opposite can be said of the 26-year-old, that he has been too introverted on the pitch, with this characteristic earning him the nickname 'Bernardo', the mute sidekick of action hero Zorro.
Beauxis, who will win his 19th cap on Sunday, said: "From the moment this name became associated with me I have hated it.
"It has in fact motivated me more to shed this image. I have worked on myself. Since Stade Francais, I have made genuine efforts.
"Even if I still have work to do I find that a more extrovert side is coming more naturally to me."
Dupuy is one who believes this is the case.
"You sense he has matured since his departure for Toulouse. He knows how to take things in hand and says what he has to say."
