Perhaps it felt like this if you went to the second day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval in 1948 to witness the final regal flourish of Don Bradman and saw him bowled out for a duck. Sometimes, even genius takes a day off.
Maybe that is a little harsh on Antoine Dupont, the best rugby player in the world, whose arrival at Twickenham as part of France’s Six Nations showdown with England had been greeted with such a heightened sense of anticipation.
The last time we had seen him, he was producing a bravura performance against Wales in the Stade de France last week, playing like a musketeer, with the kind of dynamism and explosiveness that took the breath away.
And memories are still fresh of the way he led France to gold in the rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics last summer, producing one of the stand-out individual displays of the Games to prove his genius was versatile as well as beautiful.
But this bitter afternoon was a long way from being his finest hour. Dupont was swallowed up by the mediocrity around him and his last contribution to France’s shock 26-25 defeat was to try, and fail, to stop Elliot Daly’s match-clinching try in the last minute.
Daly surged past Dupont’s tackle, England snapped a run of six defeats in their past seven games and France were left to rue the end of their dreams of winning the Grand Slam after that opening demolition of Wales.
Antoine Dupont’s final contribution against England was failing to stop Elliot Daly’s late try
Daly’s last-gasp score helped England record a 26-25 victory at Twickenham on Saturday
Dupont had a rare off day for France, whose hopes of a Grand Slam came to an end in London
The match was hardly a classic. England’s come-from-behind win will lend it a happy red rose sheen and Fin Smith’s winning contribution in his first start, at fly-half, was hugely encouraging but this clash was a comedy of errors.
In the first half, in particular, France had thrown away one scoring opportunity after another and Dupont was among those culpable.
In a match that must have come close to setting a new record for handling errors, the France captain found it hard to rise above the mediocrity. He prodded and cajoled but anyone who was expecting the kind of swashbuckling performance for which he has become renowned, would have trudged home through the murk of south-west London sorely disappointed.
Even Lionel Messi misses a penalty now and again. Even Ayrton Senna spun off once in a while. Even Roger Federer made unforced errors. No one can do it every time and this was one of those occasions when Dupont simply could not make the difference.
He had walked out in the February gloom with the praise of rugby aristocracy ringing in his ears.
Former England international Joe Marler said he was the best player he had ever seen. Dan Biggar, the former Wales fly-half, was similarly effusive.
‘He has everything,’ Biggar said. ‘He’s stronger than most centres and quicker than most wings. He kicks off both feet. If you try to rush him, he’ll put his team-mates into space. If you give him time, you’re absolutely knackered because he makes breaks for fun.’
England had lost 53-10 to France two years ago and many were expecting more of the same but it soon became apparent that this was not going to be a blow-out. France were missing a clutch of key players and their absence soon told.
Dupont’s first attempt at a crossfield kick to Damian Penaud on the wing bounced into touch
France scrum-half Dupont looked certain to score during the first half, only to drop a pass
Dupont was not alone with Damian Penaud dropping the ball when well inside the England 22
He did, however, show his class for France’s opening try but it proved to be England’s day
After the plaudits hurled in his direction in the build-up to this match, the opening minutes proved that not everything Dupont touches turns to gold. His first attempt at a crossfield kick towards Damian Penaud on the right wing was marginally mis- directed and bounced into touch.
Dupont was not alone. The sodden, swirling conditions made handling and kicking difficult. Thomas Ramos dragged a penalty wide. Penaud dropped a simple pass and was so frustrated, he became entangled in a fracas with Ollie Sleightholme.
France looked as if they were about to banish their uncertainties midway through the half when Ramos led an attack down the left and threw the ball wide to Dupont, who had a clear run to the try-line. He reached out his left hand for the catch and dropped the ball. Eyes were rubbed in disbelief.
France spurned another chance to go ahead when Penaud dropped a pass well inside the England 22. Up in the coaches’ box, Fabien Galthie looked like he wanted to punch a hole in the wall. Another member of his staff threw himself down into his seat and put his head between his knees.
But 10 minutes before half-time, Dupont finally made his class tell. He tidied up another sequence of sloppy France handling and cut a swathe through broken field. He seemed to be about to pass the ball wide but switched it inside to Penaud instead, wrong-footing the defence. Penaud kicked through to Louis Bielle-Biarrey to go over.
It was a wonderful moment of improvisation and skill by Dupont but there was not to be another. This was a day for England’s spirit and their resilience and for the promise of Fin Smith. Genius left the stadium in the back seat.