Antoine Dupont’s Blues win their first world title in rugby sevens – Libération

The French men’s team won the gold medal against Argentina on Sunday. The women, Olympic vice-champions in Tokyo, were beaten in the final by the Australians, winning silver. A good omen two months before the Paris Olympics.

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The French men’s sevens rugby team, to which Blues captain Antoine Dupont brought his energy and sense of the game, won the gold medal on Sunday June 2 during the final tournament in Madrid, thanks to his victory over Argentina (19-5). This is the first time that the blue septists have won the world circuit, a good omen two months before the Paris Olympic Games. For their part, their female counterparts, Olympic vice-champions in Tokyo, won silver, beaten in the final by the Australians (26-7).

The Metropolitano stadium, Atlético’s usual lair, has hosted the final stage of the World Series since Friday, which brought together the eight best nations in the world, the final stage with the Games. The two French teams will legitimately be among the favorites for the Olympic tournament, in front of their home crowd.

“The next tournament, in Paris, will be a different story,” said coach Jérôme Daret. Our objective for the Games is to do a lot on the field… and to give pleasure to our supporters, especially since in Paris, we will have the advantage of being in front of our supporters and our families.

“It’s a good group, a big team. I am very proud of them, declared French captain Paulin Riva after the match. We showed tremendous defense [dimanche].” Asked about the contribution of Antoine Dupont, who came to participate in only two stages of the world circuit (Vancouver and Los Angeles) this season before this final tournament, the Gersois replied that for the blue septists, “Antoine (was) the best player of the world, quite simply!” “When he is on the pitch, he gives us a lot of confidence,” added Riva, author of the third French try in the final on an assist from… Dupont.

Spared in the group stage, the captain of the Great Britain than in the final. An added value and an aura which earned him on Sunday evening to be crowned “revelation” of the world circuit, even though he only participated in three stages. This shows if his mark has marked this 2024 season.

Titled last Saturday in the Champions Cup before being released by his club, the scrum half from Stade Toulouse only arrived in Madrid on Monday, conceding after the semi-final that “even if the automatisms [étaient revenus] quite quickly”, it had been “a little harder on the cardio”. “Honestly, I was a little worried before my first tournament, so I worked very hard,” Dupont said Sunday evening after the final. There was a good team spirit and it was easy to integrate.”