Successful debut.

Antoine Dupont, the star rugby union player, recently arrived within the French rugby sevens team, gained momentum throughout the weekend of February 24 and 25 during the Vancouver tournament, where the Blues won a bronze medal, beating the United States 42 to 12.

Six matches, including two as a starter, is not much, but it is enough to gauge what the 27-year-old Stade Toulousain player can bring to the Olympic discipline.

He started the tournament on the bench, watching his teammates already sharp against the United States (24 to 12), and Samoa (40 to 7).

Read alsoJO-2024: French superstar Antoine Dupont will join the rugby sevens team

Irresistible, the tricolors, worn by Aaron Grandidier and Jordan Sépho, took the time to place the former captain of the French XV team in the best conditions.

“We wanted to show (Antoine Dupont) that we had the level to play with him,” William Iraguha explained to the RugbyPass site.

Decisive against Ireland in the quarter-final

Starting for the first time in his career on Saturday against Australia, Dupont opened his personal account following an inspired pass fake combined with an effective racket (31 to 5).

In the quarter-final against Ireland, the player named the best in the world of rugby union in 2021 by World Rugby resolved a critical situation beyond regulation time.

So at 7 against 6, the player took advantage of the surplus, of the space left free on the short side, to head towards the goal and qualify France for the last four, a first this season.

Facing the "All Blacks Sevens", coach Jérôme Daret brought Dupont into play when the Blues were clearly dominated.

He thus contributed to the return of the French, ultimately unsuccessful (28 to 26).

In an attempt to glean the first medal of the season, Dupont started against the United States.

Guilty of a voluntary forward, synonymous with a yellow card, his teammates conceded two tries during his exclusion.

“A hell of a player, he helps us in all areas of the game”

Back on the field, the player trained in Castelnau-Magnoac (Hautes-Pyrénées) immediately made up for it by offering two tries in quick succession to Theo Forner and Aaron Grandidier.

The Blues led at the break (14-12).

In the second act, the tricolors continued to unfold and Dupont closed the proceedings with a personal exploit.

For his teammate from the France team, William Iraguha, this first tournament (3 tries) is promising.

“Honestly (Dupont) is a hell of a player, he helps us in all areas of the game. He showed his qualities this weekend,” he declared on Rugbypass.

Beyond the results, Antoine Dupont has proven that he is capable of adapting to this Olympic discipline, both physically and tactically.

The Blues will aim for gold during the next stage of the world rugby sevens circuit in Los Angeles from March 1 to 3.

“We want to win a tournament this season,” recalled William Iraguha after the small final.

With Dupont, the VII of France has an additional weapon to achieve this.

With AFP

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