The French rugby team, with its star player Antoine Dupont, has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament. Defending champions Fiji are also already in the knockout round.
The host and its exceptional player Dupont, who switched from the 15-a-side variant to “Rugby Sevens” especially for the Summer Games in Paris, secured their progress with a 19:12 win against Uruguay.
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Previously, the favorite had to struggle with teething problems at the Stade de France and could not get past a 12:12 draw in the first game against the USA – a small setback. On Thursday (July 25, 2024) the final match in Group C will take place against the two-time Olympic champion Fiji.
Defending champion Fiji is right there
The highly-rated team from the South Pacific island state, on the other hand, showed off their class and were fully present from the start. In the first game against Uruguay they won 40:12, and then at the end of the day they won an equally comfortable 38:12 victory against the USA.
Opening victories for New Zealand and Ireland
In the parallel groups, the favorites won their first matches. Group A New Zealand, silver medal winners from Tokyo 2021, gave the team from Japan no chance with a 40:12 win. The duel against South Africa was a little more exciting, but the New Zealanders also won quite clearly with 17:5 and thus made it into the quarter-finals.
This also applies to Ireland. The men from the Emerald Isle first beat South Africa 10-5 and then followed it up with a 40-5 win over Japan.
Australia and Argentina in the quarter-finals
In the Group B Australia and Argentina are now in the quarter-finals after two wins each. The Australians first defeated Samoa 21:14 and then followed that up with a 21:7 win against Kenya.
The equally highly-rated Argentinians won their first match against Kenya by a clear 31:12 and then followed it up with an easy 28:12 victory against Samoa. Argentina and Australia will therefore play a direct duel tomorrow, Thursday, to determine the group winner.
Final on Saturday in Paris
The rugby sevens tournament in Paris is played in three groups of four. The top two teams and the two best third-placed teams advance to the quarter-finals. Each game lasts two seven-minute periods.
The entire quarter-finals will be played on Thursday evening after the last group matches. The semi-finals and final will then follow on Saturday, one day after the opening ceremony on the Seine.
