Antoine Dupont has joined the ranks of the France Sevens team this week, gearing up for his much-anticipated appearance at the Paris Olympic Games later this year.
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The star player’s venture into sevens rugby was unveiled in a mid-November announcement, jointly made by his club, Toulouse, the French Rugby Federation, and Dupont himself.
Celebrated as the face of French rugby, Dupont, who secured the coveted title of World Rugby Player of the Year in 2021, played a pivotal role in clinching the Six Nations Grand Slam and boasts 52 Test appearances to date.
Expressing his excitement for the upcoming Olympic challenge, Dupont emphasized the mythical nature of the Games for sports enthusiasts, envisioning it as an “incredible party” for the host country, France. The strategic move to skip the upcoming Six Nations underlines his dedication to preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The men’s sevens rugby event at the Olympics is set to unfold at the iconic Stade de France, marking a significant return to the same stadium where France faced a disappointing exit from the 15-a-side World Cup against South Africa less than a year ago.
Following in the footsteps of notable 15s players like Cheslin Kolbe and Sonny Bill Williams, Dupont’s participation underscores the global appeal of the sport on the Olympic stage.
As anticipation builds, the odds-on favorites for Olympic glory are Fiji, a team that has consistently dominated sevens since its Olympic inception, securing two consecutive gold medals.
France’s 17-player squad: Esteban Capilla, Antoine Dupont, Nelson Epée, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Nisie Huyard, William Iraguha, Jefferson-Lee Joseph, Jonathan Laugel, Thibaud Mazzoleni, Stephen Parez-Edo Martin, Varian Pasquet, Rayan Rebbadj, Paulin Riva, Jordan Sepho, Joris Simon, Joachim Trouabal, Antoine Zeghdar.
“Another year of pain” – Supercomputer predicts dismal 2024 Six Nations for England
Fri 02 Feb 2024
| Six Nations | % WIN | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| France | 60 | 24 |
| Ireland | 34 | 17 |
Sat 03 Feb 2024
| Six Nations | % WIN | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Wales | 40 | 17 |
| Scotland | 56 | 18 |
| Six Nations | % WIN | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 6 | 10 |
| England | 91 | 34 |