An Antoine Dupont-inspired France handed Fiji its first Olympic loss, securing a gold medal for the host nation. Played at a frenetic pace, the scores were tied 7-7 at halftime. Joseva Talacolo scored for Fiji first, followed by Jefferson-Lee Joseph for France.
With the tension high in the Stade de France, French coach Jerome Daret brought in Dupont for the second half. Dupont made an immediate impact with an 80-meter break and an offload to Aaron Grandidier for the try that broke the tie.
With La Marseillaise echoing from the stands, France began to dominate as Fiji struggled to keep up. Dupont scored France’s third try by darting between two defenders and ended the match with a final try, securing a commanding 28-7 win.
Celebrations erupted across France as Dupont, at just 27 years old, cemented his legacy among the sport’s greats. On the other side, Fiji faced heartbreak as their Olympic defense ended in defeat. However, despite this loss, Fiji remains the most dominant team in Olympic rugby history with just one loss in 16 games.
The Fijians had a mixed performance in the SVNS World Series but still managed a successful Olympic campaign. South Africa’s sevens team secured a bronze medal, defeating Australia at the Stade de France, adding to their Rugby World Cup victory at the same venue last year.
New Zealand claimed fifth place by defeating Ireland, who finished in sixth. Argentina, USA, Kenya, Samoa, Uruguay, and Japan followed in seventh to 12th places respectively.