The French men’s rugby sevens team won the inaugural World Rugby SVNS Grand Final on Sunday (2 June), just 54 days before the start of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Inspired by code-switching Antoine Dupont, Les Blues beat the regular season league winners Argentina 19-5 in the final, having learnt some valuable lessons from their group stage defeat to the South Americans the day before.
“Yesterday, we were a little off, we weren’t too into it. Against Great Britain, we were not at our usual level. Today, whether it was the semi or the final, we played matches of a very high level in terms of intensity and application. Even if we can be a little more clinical, we managed to maintain pressure on the opponent. An iron defence, an impeccable state of mind. We created opportunities and that’s what it’s having a good mental effect on the team,” Dupont told Olympics.com afterwards at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium.
This title caps off a ground-breaking season for France. Their men’s team had not won a single tournament on the world circuit since 2005 before landing the Los Angeles title earlier this season and now the Grand Final in Madrid. A fine omen for the Paris 2024 hosts later this summer.
