Antoine Dupont Shines as France Advance in Olympic Rugby Sevens

Antoine Dupont, one of the faces of the Paris Olympics, delivered a stunning solo try to help France secure a spot in the quarter-finals of men’s rugby sevens. Despite the opening ceremony not taking place until Friday, rugby sevens kicked off the festivities in the French capital.

A lively atmosphere welcomed the home players, with nearly 80,000 fans filling the nation’s largest stadium. France began with a 12-12 draw against the United States in their opening Pool C match. The mood turned tense as Uruguay led their second outing, but Dupont’s brilliant run shifted the game in France’s favor, putting them ahead 12-7 and setting the stage for a 19-12 victory.

Ireland also joined the hosts in the last eight, winning both of their Pool A matches on the first day of Olympic action.

Dupont’s Impact and the Atmosphere

Dupont, a megastar in 15-a-side rugby and the 2021 World Player of the Year, skipped the Six Nations earlier this year to focus on sevens glory at home. His decision has endeared him further to the French public, with his image dominating the front pages of L’Equipe and the Stade de France crowd chanting his name.

“The atmosphere was good and helped us to win,” Dupont said. “Maybe we did not do our best but hopefully it is going to help us more in the next game. We need to raise our level. If not, we will not go too far. We need to be focused on the game and not distracted, because we are capable of better.”

France is second in the pool, behind Fiji, with five points from their first two matches. The top two teams from each of the three pools advance to the knockout stage, along with the two best third-placed sides. France will face defending Olympic champions Fiji in their final pool match on Thursday, ensuring their qualification.

Ireland’s Path to the Quarter-Finals

Despite being in a tough pool, Ireland breezed through, winning their opening matches without needing to beat New Zealand in their final match on Thursday. James Topping’s side, featuring 15-a-side converts like Hugo Keenan, started with a 10-5 win over South Africa and followed up with a 40-5 victory over Japan, delighting their Irish supporters.