Antoine Dupont inspired France to a historic gold medal win, handing Fiji its first loss on the Olympic stage.
In a high-octane match, the score was tied 7-7 at halftime. Joseva Talacolo put Fiji on the board first, but Jefferson-Lee Joseph quickly equalized for France.
With the Stade de France atmosphere electric, French coach Jerome Daret brought in Dupont for the second half. Dupont immediately made an impact with an 80-meter break, setting up Aaron Grandidier for a try that broke the deadlock.
The momentum shifted as the French crowd sang La Marseillaise, and Fiji struggled to keep up.
Dupont sealed the victory with a brilliant dart between two Fijian defenders for France’s third try. He added another in the dying moments, securing a commanding 28-7 win and cementing his legacy at just 27 years old.
Despite their disappointment, Fiji remains the most dominant team in Olympic rugby history, with this being their only loss in 16 games.
South Africa also had reason to celebrate, securing the bronze medal against Australia. This victory came less than a year after their Rugby World Cup win at the same venue and marked a significant achievement following a difficult year in the SVNS Series.
Meanwhile, New Zealand finished fifth, defeating Ireland, which ended up in sixth. In order, Argentina, USA, Kenya, Samoa, Uruguay, and Japan rounded out the seventh to twelfth spots.