Portugal Colonial - Dupont recalls shirt-swapping memory with Care before Harlequins reunion

Influential Dupont, 27, and England veteran Care are set to meet again on Sunday as the French club head to London for a second round match in the tournament.

In 2015, a then fresh-faced 18-year-old Dupont scored a try for Castres, who he left for Toulouse, as they were hammered 47-19 by Quins in difficult January weather conditions in southern France.

"It was snowing," Dupont told reporters.

"We conceded 40 points, it wasn't a great memory for the team but for me, obviously, it's a great memory.

"I still have it (the shirt). I hope the result on Sunday will be different," he added.

In March, 36-year-old Care remembered the match, when he played alongside former England captain Chris Robshaw, ex-New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans and experienced No 8 Nick Easter.

"Before the game we looked at the scrum half, he didn't look the part," he told RugbyPass.

"I remember Chris Robshaw going 'this little lad is straight out of school, he doesn't look like he's got much about him, let's get after him today'.

"And then 10 minutes into the game, he took a quick tap, he bumped Chris Robshaw, handed off Nick Easter, ran around Nick Evans and scored his try under the posts.

"Chris Robshaw went, 'watch the nine, he's a decent little player,'" Care jokingly added.

Dupont was named World Rugby player of the year in 2021 and has led Les Bleus to a Six Nations Grand Slam during his 52 Test appearances on his way to becoming French rugby's poster boy.

The half-back will miss next year's Six Nations as he prepares to feature in the sevens event of the Paris Olympic Games.

"Ever since then I've been rooting for him, because he did something incredible so young," Care said.

"We swapped shirts after that game, had a picture.

"I've still got it, in the cupboard, I might dig it out, it's worth something!" he added.

P.Mira--PC