Antoine Dupont demonstrated his exceptional talent by scoring two tries and assisting another, leading France to a historic 28-7 victory over Fiji in the men’s sevens, claiming Olympic gold.
The match was evenly balanced at halftime, but Dupont’s introduction from the bench turned the tide in France’s favor, ending Fiji’s unbeaten streak at the Olympics. The Fijians, who had never before lost an Olympic match, were outshone by the brilliance of the French and Toulouse star.
In a vibrant atmosphere in Paris, the defending champions started strong, with Selestino Ravutaumada making an impact yet again. Ravutaumada’s powerful drive set the stage for Joseva Talacolo to score. Despite this early setback, the hosts were inspired rather than discouraged, and Andy Timo’s excellent play set up Jefferson-Lee Joseph’s equalizing try.
With a halftime score of 7-7, France decided to bring in Dupont, arguably the world’s best rugby player, which proved decisive. Dupont, who had been primarily used as a substitute, made an immediate impact by setting up Aaron Grandidier Nkanang for a try right after the restart, putting France in the lead.
Dupont continued to dominate the match, scoring two tries himself, including one in the final minute, sealing the victory and the gold medal for France. This win was a perfect remedy after the disappointment of last year’s Rugby World Cup, where France was eliminated in the quarter-finals by South Africa.
In other matches, South Africa claimed the bronze medal with a 26-19 win over Australia in a thrilling contest. The Blitzboks had narrowly qualified for the Olympics and faced challenges in the pool stages but improved steadily. After defeating New Zealand in the quarter-finals, they guaranteed a medal, despite losing to France in the semi-finals. Philip Snyman’s men secured their prize with a resilient performance.
Australia initially took the lead with Nathan Lawson’s try, but South Africa leveled the score through Selvyn Davids. Zain Davids added two more tries, making it 19-7. Although Australia fought back with tries from Corey Toole and Henry Paterson to tie the match, a red card for Nick Malouf gave South Africa the advantage. Shaun Williams capitalized in the dying moments to secure bronze.
New Zealand secured fifth place with a 17-7 win over Ireland, while Argentina defeated the USA 19-0 for seventh place. Kenya overcame Samoa 10-5, and Uruguay consigned Japan to last place with a 21-10 victory.
Final standings:
1. France
2. Fiji
3. South Africa
4. Australia
5. New Zealand
6. Ireland
7. Argentina
8. USA
9. Kenya
10. Samoa
11. Uruguay
12. Japan