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Antoine Dupont helps France end 19-year drought with SVNS win in LA

France's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2024 HSBC Rugby Sevens Los Angeles tournament final men's match against Great Britain at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on March 3, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

For the first time in 19 years, France have won a Cup final on the SVNS Series with marquee addition Antoine Dupont playing a starring role during their road to history-making glory.

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Dupont, who is a former World Rugby Player of the Year in 15s, put on a clinic against Ireland in a thrilling semi-final on Sunday afternoon before taking a backseat in the decider.

Playmaker Stephen Parez-Edo Martin was named to start for Les Bleus as they looked to lock up their first piece of series silverware since the Paris leg of the 2004/5 season.

It was a tense start to the final as Great Britain slowly made their way up the field, but it very quickly became clear who the victors would be at the end of the night.

Antoine Zeghdar, Stephen Parez-Edo Martin and Theo Forner all crossed as this French team etched their names into the record books with a dominant 21-nil win.

“I don’t think I have really realised yet. When I get back home and spend time with my family I’ll get to realise what has happened,” France’s William Iraguha told RugbyPass.

“I’m so proud of the group. We worked so hard for this and we’ve been waiting for it for such a long time.

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“Last year we lost in the final, it was my first final personally, but I think we all had this feeling that it must be today.

“I don’t think I have much more words to explain how I feel.”

France were pipped by eventual runners-up New Zealand in last weekend’s SVNS Vancouver semi-final, but it still felt that history was within reach.

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Les Bleus knocked over Canada and eventual-finalists Great Britain in pool play, and got the better of the United States and Ireland on their way to the big dance.

“Obviously we didn’t kick off the season as well as we would’ve wished. We struggled a bit but kept on going up, going up,” Iraguha said.

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“Last week in Vancouver we lost by two points in the semi and just knew, as I said, it’s just so close yet so far.

“We said now if we make it to the semis this weekend there’s no way we can’t just go all the way.

“Everybody played their part and we won. It’s a wonderful feeling… I’m so, so happy, I finally won a tournament.”

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S
SK 33 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

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J
JW 5 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
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