“I am proud of what we accomplished yesterday and am with you with all my strength, you will do it,” he said in reference to France’s final match against Scotland on Sunday.
The manner of how Dupont suffered the injury left both Gregory Alldritt, the France No 8, and head coach Fabien Galthie seething.
Both claimed the scrum-half, widely considered to be the best player in the world, was targeted by Beirne although the Australian referee, Angus Gardner, and Ireland’s interim head coach Simon Easterby begged to differ.
“When you return to the changing room and you see one of your best friends in that state it rips your guts up,” said a visibly-shaken Alldritt.
Galthie, who has called up Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin as cover for next week’s tournament finale against Scotland, said there was “anger” in the French camp over the incident.
It was not referred to the television match official (TMO) during the game but the France have cited Beirne and Irish prop Andrew Porter, who they also claim was responsible for Dupont’s injury as he drove through behind his teammate in what was a very clumsy attempt at a 29th minute ruck clear-out.
Dupont was attended by medical staff before they supported him as he limped off the field to be replaced by Maxime Lucu, the only back on the French bench who impressed as Les Bleus scored 34 unanswered second-half points before ireland scored two late consolation tries.
‘Rugby incident’
Ireland interim boss Easterby described it as “just a rugby incident”.
“Tadhg cleans out someone in front of Antoine Dupont and he gets hit on the back of it. It happens, unfortunately,” he said.
“Players have a real awareness now of clearing out on the lower limb of the player, which can create that type of injury that might have happened today, but that wasn’t the case.
“He was securing his own ball and not making contact on Dupont. Unfortunately that happens. The guy that Tadhg hit was hit on to Dupont. It’s just one of those things unfortunately. It happens in the game.”
Dupont’s club Toulouse now face playing the final phases of both the Champions Cup and Top 14 without their talismanic skipper.
“We’ll accompany you in this test so that you come back stronger, captain,” Toulouse said.
Romain Ntamack, his half-back partner for club and country, added: “Courage, my friend, we’re all with you.”
It is the second time Dupont has sustained a knee injury.
In 2018, also against Ireland, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and was sidelined for eight months.
France have to beat Scotland at home next week to secure the Six Nations crown for the first time since 2022 and it will now be without Dupont.
The team most recently had to make do without the 28-year-old because of injury for part of the pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup because of a facial injury he sustained against Namibia.
However, even with his return and wearing a protective mask they slipped to a traumatic quarter-final loss at the Stade de France to South Africa.
Dupont also missed the entire 2024 Six Nations after opting to join up with the France Sevens squad ahead of the Paris Olympics, going on to help them to the gold medal.
