Antoine Dupont leads France to Paris Olympic gold with win over Fiji

Antoine Dupont is an Olympic gold medallist after coming off the bench to inspire France’s history-making 28-7 win over Fiji on Saturday. France didn’t qualify for the last Tokyo Games, but three years on, they are on top at the world’s biggest sporting event.

France took out the SVNS Series overall title in Madrid last month, which only saw their belief and confidence grow ahead of the Olympic Games on home soil. But with that comes pressure, and that seemed to get to them earlier in the Paris Games.

They slipped up a couple of times with a draw and loss in pool play, but after making their way through the knockout rounds, there was a sense of inevitability about what was to come. With a sold-out Stade de France cheering them on, they rose to new heights.

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Dupont was the hero with a Player of the Final performance to help deliver gold for France. Fiji’s unbeaten streak in the history of rugby sevens at the Olympic Games has come to an unfortunate end but they’ll still be proud of their efforts.

With one last match to determine the champion at the end of a record-breaking rugby sevens tournament, the crowd at Stade de France made sure to bring the noise once again for what commentator Rikki Swannell labelled the “final of dreams.”

Fiji had looked sensational throughout the entire competition up until this decider, and they continued that purple patch of form during the early exchanges in their pursuit of what would’ve been another gold medal.

The two-time defending men’s Olympic champions played with skill, execution and even risk which is a trademark of their game early on. Fiji went coast-to-coast as a team, which included a breathtaking run from Filipe Sauturaga.

Sauturaga made some significant running metres up the park on the back some aggressive fends and a massive offload to find space out wide. That was all in the leadup to the opener scored by No. 2 Joseva Talacolo under the sticks.

But it was practically all France from there.

The Stade de France crowd were in full voice late in the half as the hosts made their way up the field with the ball. French fans went berserk as 21-year-old Jefferson-Lee Joseph scored under the sticks.

It was all-square at the break, but the French had a not-so-secret weapon to call upon.

With his first touch, Antoine Dupont came off the bench and raced down the left touchline and looked a genuine chance of running away to score himself. But after offloading to Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, the French took the lead.

More Dupont magic sealed the win shortly after, with the former World Rugby 15s Player of the Year crossing for a double. “Sometimes it’s written,” commentator Swannell said as Dupont scored with time up on the clock.

The man who has already been labelled one of the all-time greats is now an Olympic gold medallist in Paris. Antoine Dupont really can do it all.

Earlier on day three, Australia were within inches of completing an incredible fightback with an Olympic bronze medal on the line but it wasn’t to be as they went down 26-19 in a heartbreaking loss to South Africa.

Playmaker Dietrich Roache sent a tough conversion attempt wide from out near the right touchline, with the scores locked at 19-all with 20 seconds to play. South Africa managed to reel in the restart and push on for an incredible match-winning score.

The Aussies had their backs up against the ropes after captain Nick Malouf was sent off early in the second half. It made things tough with Zain Davids scoring two quick tries for South Africa, but the men in gold fought valiantly in return.

Corey Toole and Henry Paterson both scored a try each to help level the scores, and while Roache missed that conversion, they were still well and truly a chance of medalling. But with one less player on the park, it was never going to be easy.

Captain Selvyn Davids ended up breaking Australian hearts by running down the left sideline and into the in-goal without a defender touching him. Davids selflessly handed the ball off to Shaun Williams who officially touched the ball down to win the match.

“On the end of the chain, Selvyn Davids does take the bronze medal for South Africa. Shaun Williams will be the one to finish it. A most extraordinary match,” commentator Rikki Swannell said, as seen on Stan Sport.

“It is South Africa, the 12^th and final team to qualify, they go home as bronze medallists from Paris 2024.”

Former England sevens star Rob Vickerman added: “Well that’s a staggering end. You could see the effect of six men – brutal for Australia, they came so close.

“Smiles on every one of the Blitzbok’s faces and for due reason. They were last in and they were almost last out. That is most certainly the most hardest of wins for a bronze.

“A nation will be celebrating as much as these players we see here.”