The 39-year-old former Leinster fullback is very impressed by the Frenchman and his “outrageous” skill on the rugby pitch.

Asked his favourite current player, he told Rugby World magazine: “Ah, Antoine Dupont! He is off-the-charts good. He’s incredible.

“Jonah Lomu was a generational player and he changed the whole game. Still, he had a bit of an advantage because he was 6ft 5in, so fast and so strong.

“Dupont is the other end of the spectrum. The amount of times when he’s the smallest man on the pitch.

“He’s always around the ball. He is outrageous.”

Rob met most of his rugby idols over the years, but never crossed paths with Lomu.

He said: “My rugby heroes were Jonah Lomu, Simon Geoghean, Keith Wood and Brian O’Driscoll.

“I never did meet the other three, fortunately or unfortunately!

“Geoghean was the shining light. He had the blond  hair, the speed, try-scoring and he was as tough as nails.

“He was a real cult hero in the 1990s.”

The former sportsman – who retired in 2021 – admitted there was no better feeling than playing for Ireland in front of a home crowd.

He said: “As a player, walking out in front of 80,000 people for your country, and hearing your national anthem, is a high you can hardly describe. Just incredible.”