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Agence France-Presse

Antoine Dupont kicks off Olympic action at the Paris Games on Wednesday in a move that could not have been better scripted.
Rugby sevens will be held from July 24 to 30, with three days apiece for the men and women’s tournaments at the Stade de France.
Dupont, the captain of Toulouse and France in the 15-a-side format, has become one of the faces of the Games after his successful switch to the abbreviated game.
His absence from last season’s Six Nations did not sit right with many France fans, still in shock at the team’s quarter-final exit from the Rugby World Cup on French soil.
But for all the criticism, his absence, and Olympic presence, has been two years in the making.

World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin said the inclusion of Dupont in the Olympics was essential to keep growing the sport.
“The Dupont impact is incredible,” Gilpin said. “It’s provided a profile that we need to keep building.”
Dupont’s impact as a player in sevens has been striking.
The combative scrum-half helped France to a first tournament win on the sevens series in 19 years, before helping the team to victory in the season-ending championship finale in Madrid.
“For any sports fan, the Olympics are still mythical, the Holy Grail of sport … and to be in with a chance of winning an Olympic medal is a highly motivating challenge,” Dupont said.
While Dupont might grab the headlines, it is Fiji who are the undisputed kings of Olympic sevens.
The Fijians come into the tournament as double defending champions after striking golds in Rio in 2016 and the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Fiji, drawn in Pool C alongside France, Uruguay and the United States, have a new coach in former player Osea Kolinisau – skipper of the team that won in Rio.
“Our biggest rivals, we talked about this in training, is ourselves,” said Kolinisau, who replaced Englishman Ben Gollings as coach in March.
“When we get it right [mentally], people will be catching shadows on the ground.”
Gollings was sacked after a poor run of results, and under Kolinisau the team have failed to get to the semi-finals in either of the past two series events.
But captain Jerry Tuwai, a two-time gold medallist, said that “a lot of things have changed since Osea came back”, with the team focused on defending their Olympic “legacy”.

“How we play the game is one thing,” Tuwai said. “Our style of play has been opened up and our teamwork and communication. And our decision-making, that is another thing that has been opened up, too.”
At the sevens series grand final in Madrid won by France, Fiji reeled off victories over Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand in the style Kolinisau wanted.
“I was asked before, ‘What would success look like to you?’, and I said, ‘I just wanted the boys to play the Fijian way and play together as a team’,” he said.
Argentina were the surprise package of the regular season, topping the standings thanks to three wins in the first four tournaments.
Los Pumas are drawn in Pool B alongside Australia, Samoa and Kenya.
Pool A features Rio 2016 silver medallists New Zealand, world number two-ranked side Ireland, South Africa and Japan.
Pool A: Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa
Pool B: Argentina, Australia, Kenya, Samoa
Pool C: Fiji, France, Uruguay, United States


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: Fiji seek to outshine Antoine Dupont and defend rugby sevens ‘legacy’

Fijian players celebrate after beating New Zealand to defend their rugby sevens gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: EPA-EFE

France’s 15-a-side captain Antoine Dupont has made a successful switch to sevens. Photo: AP

Two-time winner Jerry Tuwai says the return of former teammate Osea Kolinisau has given Fiji a reset. Photo: AP

Paris Olympics: all you need to know as rugby sevens puts Fiji and Dupont in spotlight

France’s Antoine Dupont about to score against Great Britain at the World Rugby Sevens finals in June. Photo: AFP

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scores against arch-rivals Australia at the World Rugby Sevens finals in Madrid. Photo: AFP

Fiji’s players sing on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics after their second consecutive gold medals. Photo: AFP

Paris Olympics: ex-Hong Kong rugby sevens star chasing Games glory – with Canada

Florence Symonds is set for the Olympics with Canada after missing out on Tokyo as a Hong Kong player. Photo: Handout. 

Flo Symonds (right) excelled for Hong Kong after making her debut as a 17-year-old. Photo: Handout.

Iain Monaghan addresses the Hong Kong squad following their loss to China in Tokyo qualifying. Photo: Handout

Paris Olympics: Japan coach promises ‘high risk and chaos’ in men’s rugby sevens

Japan are aiming to defy their lowly ranking in the Olympic rugby sevens. Photo: Eugene Lee

Japan’s Hayata Taniyama scores a try against China at this year’s Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: Eugene Lee

Japan’s Kippei Taninaka in action against the hosts at the Hong Kong Sevens in April. Photo: Elson Li

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Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

Rugby

France’s captain has become one of the faces of the Games, but Fiji are out to uphold their record as the sport’s sole Olympic champions so far


France’s captain has become one of the faces of the Paris Games, but Fiji are out to uphold their record as the sport’s only Olympic champions so far.


Fiji

Samoa

Paris Olympics: Fiji seek to outshine Antoine Dupont and defend rugby sevens ‘legacy’

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}France’s captain has become one of the faces of the Games, but Fiji are out to uphold their record as the sport’s sole Olympic champions so far

France’s captain has become one of the faces of the Games, but Fiji are out to uphold their record as the sport’s sole Olympic champions so far