Max Deegan using Caelan Doris as benchmark in bid to hit new heights

The Leinster man will face Dragons this weekend.

Max Deegan during a Leinster Rugby squad training Session at UCD this week. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Spare a thought for Nolann Le Garrec, or Baptiste Couilloud, or any French scrum-half whose surname isn’t Dupont. There is no more forlorn brief now than that of backup to the world’s best player and force of nature that is the pocket powerhouse.

Dupont isn’t just supremely talented, he seems indestructible with it having started all 20 Six Nations games since cementing his place in the line-up with a 33-minute cameo when replacing Morgan Parra against England in 2019.