“Fiji Reclaims Form as France Stumbles: Olympic Rugby Sevens Heats Up”
A draw with the US and a tense victory over Uruguay has secured a quarter-final spot for the host nation. France has made it to the knockout stage of the Olympic rugby sevens, but they have yet to live up to their status as pre-tournament favorites. Meanwhile, Fiji has demonstrated that they will be a formidable opponent.
France entered the sevens competition with high expectations, especially with Antoine Dupont, often regarded as the world’s best 15-a-side player, in their squad. However, they were held to a surprising 12-12 draw by the United States in their opening Pool C match, and their subsequent 19-12 win over Uruguay was far from convincing.
Dupont was the highlight of the night, receiving the loudest cheer when he managed to evade Uruguay’s defense and score a try after sprinting nearly the full length of the field.
In a fluctuating match, France initially led but was soon caught by Uruguay. It was only a burst of speed from Jefferson-Lee Joseph that finally secured the win, much to the relief of the sold-out crowd of 69,000.
Dupont admitted that France needs to improve their performance, saying, “If we don’t raise our level, we won’t go very far. We know that and we’re capable of doing much better. We struggled to execute our game plan and retain possession.”
Fiji has secured both Olympic gold medals since rugby sevens was added to the 2016 Rio Games, but they have recently faced a dip in form by their usual high standards. However, under new coach Osea Kolinisau, they have rediscovered their form, delivering an impressive 40-12 victory over Uruguay and a dazzling 38-12 win against the United States with their trademark flair and speed.
Fiji’s next match against France on Thursday will determine the winner of their pool.
French player Jean-Pascal Barraque was blunt about their uneven performance, stating, “We didn’t really enjoy ourselves on the pitch, and I don’t think the crowd did either. At least we got all our mistakes out today, and tomorrow can only be better.”
Australia secured their quarter-final spot from Pool B with two tough wins over Samoa and Kenya. Argentina also advanced to the knockout stage, defeating Kenya 31-12 and Samoa 28-12, despite facing jeers from the local crowd. Argentine player Marcos Moneta shrugged off the hostility, saying, “I don’t mind it; I enjoy it. I’m not sure if it’s because of the World Cup or just personal dislike, but it doesn’t bother me.”
In Pool A, widely regarded as the “group of death,” New Zealand and Ireland emerged as the top teams, overcoming Japan and narrowly defeating South Africa. Both teams demonstrated their strength, with New Zealand particularly impressive in their 17-5 win over South Africa.
With the global attention of the Olympics and the atmosphere of a sold-out Stade de France, World Rugby’s chief executive Alan Gilpin has called this tournament a “coming of age” moment for the sport.