Antoine Dupont Leads France to Quarter-Finals

Antoine Dupont showcased his star power with a dazzling solo try, leading France to the quarter-finals of the men’s rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics. Even though the opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, rugby sevens kicked off the festivities in the French capital with nearly 80,000 fans filling the country’s largest stadium.

France began their journey with a cautious 12-12 draw against the United States in their opening Pool C match. In their second game, Uruguay took the lead, creating a tense atmosphere. However, Dupont’s brilliant run, demonstrating his speed and strength, propelled France to a 12-7 lead and eventually a 19-12 victory.

Antoine Dupont, a megastar in traditional rugby as France’s captain and the 2021 World Player of the Year has drawn significant attention to the sevens format. He decided to skip the Six Nations earlier this year to focus on the sevens tournament on home soil, and French fans have responded positively.

French sports paper L’Equipe celebrated Dupont’s contribution and the crowd at Stade de France chanted his name. “The atmosphere was good and helped us to win,” Dupont said. “Maybe we did not do our best, but hopefully, it will help us more in the next game. We need to raise our level. If not, we will not go too far. We need to stay focused and not be distracted because we are capable of better.”

France currently sits second in their pool behind Fiji, having earned five points from their first two matches. They will face Fiji, the defending Olympic champions in their final pool game on Thursday with a spot in the knockout stage already secured.

Meanwhile, Ireland has also advanced to the quarter-finals after winning both their Pool A matches. Ireland defeated South Africa 10-5 and Japan 40-5, boosting their medal hopes.