If the world’s greatest rugby player is getting “stick” then it makes you question if the criticism is coming from those within the game who have credible reputations.

When you discover that the source of the ramblings are Marc Lièvremont and the ex billionaire comic book magnate who bankrolled Toulon, Mourad Boudjellal, then you can take a deep breath and realise that the rugby equivalent of those two old men in the Muppett Show leaning over their theatre box constantly complaining, are talking out of a part of their anatomy that wasn’t designed for speech.

Boudjellal is the type of man who could start a verbal disagreement in a Trappist monestary, having been relatively quiet of late it looks like he has stopped taking his medication, and like the old bloke in the shopping mall shouting incoherently at the escalator, he has decided it is time for the world to listen, and he had this to say.

“Antoine Dupont, we see him in magazines, we see him everywhere! He met Zidane, he met Henry, he met everyone but on the field, he no longer meets the ball”.

At the same time, former France coach Marc Lièvremont remember him ? the international coach who was so good the players ignored him completely at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and after being humiliated by Tonga in the pool stages came up with their own game plan, getting to the final and very nearly winning the damn thing.

Marco’s utterings were less vindictive at the final whistle of the Stade Francais v Toulouse match (27-12), he stated on French television that Dupont had now “entered a form of norm. ” a statement as obscure as some of his coaching methods.

In fact Dupont had some outstanding moments in that game despite the defeat.

Maybe Antoine had been slightly below his scintillating best after returning from World Cup heartbreak, but his slightly below par performances are the equivalent most scrum halves highest benchmark.

Last weekend against Cardiff Dupont was back to his very best, and this weekend at the Stoop. after a couple of early errors, he faultlessly orchestrated the spell binding Toulouse back line to a 47-19 win against Harlequins.

So Boudjellal has been made to eat his words, not for the first time and in this instance it’s an all you can eat buffet.