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The greatest player in the world. Antoine Dupont’s wizardry lit up the Olympics to deliver a moment, perhaps already the moment of Paris 2024. Fiji, for so long the kings of rugby sevens, fell under his charm. This truly was magnifique.
Rayan Rebbadj clutched his head in disbelief at full time, witnessing this tour de force up close, his teammate has not only helped dethrone the two-time Olympic champions but steamrolled them with a breathtaking second-half performance. That’s what sevens and its furious tempo will do.
And yet, Dupont is an anomaly, a contradiction to this young sport, which is fast emerging as a rival to 15s for entertainment and perhaps rugby’s answer to T20 cricket. When more than 130,000 people attend a day of rugby on the eve of the opening ceremony, you know something is brewing. And Dupont, already the master of the more traditional form of this sport, may have reimagined what’s possible here too.
The moment Fiji knew the game was up? It was France’s exhausting assault on their try line, phase after phase the hosts were batted away by this wily unit, whose ruthless display in the semi-finals made them firm favourites here. But Dupont knew, of course he did, and he stopped Fiji casting their seven players across the entire width of the pitch. A little chip to himself, pivoting back to his right, he buried himself between Jeremaia Matana and Waisea Nacuqu. Up two scores, France could breathe easy, there was relief as their smiles widened.
“The preparation was huge,” Dupont remarked afterwards. “It’s sensational and unbelievable, reward for all my team-mates.
“We really deserved it, but so did the public because the atmosphere was incredible. We put rugby on a stage where we could take it globally. I am a patriotic person and it was the best way to do it.”
For many new fans tuning into this colossal contest: the dream final for World Rugby and casual sports fans alike. Dupont’s role off the bench may have raised an eyebrow. Yet it says a lot about Dupont’s character, not that it was needed after he brushed off a broken cheekbone at last year’s Rugby World Cup on home soil. He has relished his role and embraced the team dynamic here, adapting seamlessly to the sevens circuit this year.
French coach Jerome Daret deserves plaudits for the way he has accommodated such a mercurial talent. Rebbadj had remarked after the semi-final win over South Africa: “I was thinking, ‘We have been in the same room for a long time now, he [Dupont] is going to feel me. I called for him, but with the noise I thought he would not hear me.” What Rebbadj had forgotten is that Dupont always knows, his spatial awareness and ability to knit the game together brought 66,000 to their feet time and again.
“The substitutes, that’s what they’re here for,” he added with a wink. If the crowd were bellowing ‘allumer le feu’ (light the fire) by Johnny Hallyday, then Dupont duly obliged once France weathered an early storm.
Joseva Talacolo had scored within 90 seconds; the perfect opener after Selesitino Ravutaumada's rampaging opening burst and a third Olympic crown looked on after a turbulent year. Without a victory in the HSBC SVNS circuit this year and a humiliating loss to Spain, Fiji’s alarming loss of form prompted Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to demand an inquiry, before Attorney-General Siromi Turaga further deepened the crisis, claiming the team’s performances were creating “a feeling of anger” back home.
Former coach Ben Gollings had to go, cue turmoil just four months out from the Games. Former skipper Osea Kolinisau, who inspired the 2016 triumph in Rio, swooped in to save them. Jerry Tuwai, frozen out for much of 2024 by Gollings, linked up with his old friend and Fiji gradually rediscovered their brilliance.
And they carried over a menacing performance against Australia in the semi-finals here. Talacolo’s feet would not look out of place on Strictly Come Dancing, while Joji Nasova proved once more he can score from 90 metres out.
But this French crowd is not fickle, and rightly so, as Les Bleus swept aside their early setback here. The class of Andy Timo, spinning and bouncing off Fiji bodies, allowed Jefferson-Lee Joseph to gleefully gallop up alongside him to level.
And the kick-off to the second half broke the game open. Aaron Grandidier fumbled the catch, but there was Dupont to scoop the ball up like a hot potato.
He broke down the left side, gliding past Tuwai, but with the try line in sight, Dupont’s vision and selflessness to make the right play, saw him return the ball to Grandidier. France were up and truthfully never looked back. A greedy Dupont guided a ruck after time had elapsed and dived in for another score to complete an emphatic victory.
France is a proud rugby nation and it has been hurting for the last year. The Rugby World Cup was not meant to be. But this might mean more in time. Dupont’s influence can stretch further thanks to the Olympic audience. How many more will follow him to sample this? For now, France can hail its golden boy and an unforgettable Olympic moment.
