Dupont leads French charge for 'Holy Grail' of Olympic rugby sevens gold

His decision has added an exciting twist to the tournament, which Dupont compared to the Holy Grail of sports.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in rugby union history, Dupont's participation in the upcoming home Olympics is a significant achievement not only for the national team but also for the event organizers.

By choosing to skip the Six Nations, Dupont led France to two victories on the HSBC SVNS circuit, including a historic win in the Madrid finals - the first in nearly two decades. Additionally, he guided his club Toulouse to success in both the Top 14 and Champions Cup competitions in the 15-a-side format.

Describing the Olympics as a mythical and prestigious event for all sports fans, Dupont expressed his excitement about the opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal in front of a home crowd in France.

France coach Fabien Galthie defended the 2021 World Player of the Year, Antoine, by stating that his decision to play in the Olympics had been planned for two years.

Despite criticism, Antoine denied that rugby sevens was inferior to 15-a-side rugby, emphasizing the enjoyment and emotional intensity of the matches and tournaments.

He also highlighted the camaraderie and shared emotions within the smaller squad. Additionally, Antoine admitted that his participation in the sevens team boosted the confidence of everyone involved.

Paulin Riva, the captain of France Sevens, acknowledged that Dupont had brought an additional dimension to the team following their championship-winning final against Argentina in Madrid.

"Antoine is, in our opinion, the best player in the world! When he's on the field, we have a lot of confidence," Riva stated.

Standing at 1.74m tall (5ft 9in) and weighing 85kg (187lb), Dupont was named the men's Rookie of the Year after the final.

"We already had the goal of winning, but to achieve it and demonstrate that we are capable of doing it twice by defeating the best teams on the circuit, that shows our ability to win," Dupont remarked.

Regarding the Olympics, which will take place at the Stade de France, Dupont added, "It will be a huge tournament, but we will strive to claim that trophy in July."

Jerome Daret, the coach of France sevens, expressed no doubts about Dupont's successful transition.

"When you look at Antoine Dupont's statistics from last year's World Cup, he is the player who made the most offloads, with a total of 10," Daret commented.

"He also possesses the ability to change pace and break, which we are seeking. He has a strong defense and can tackle players 50 centimeters from the line, which is something we expect a lot in rugby sevens."

Dupont himself stated that his transition was simply a matter of experience.

"Even though I have limited experience in rugby sevens, I have been through challenging 15-a-side matches, very close finishes where we really had to come back to score or hold it.

"These moments are very beneficial for not panicking, respecting our principles, our group, and individual playing patterns," he said.

Alan Gilpin, the head of World Rugby, emphasized that the inclusion of Dupont in the Olympics was crucial for the continued growth of the sport.

"The impact of Dupont is incredible," Gilpin remarked. "It has provided a profile that we need to continue building."

Dupont will make his Olympic debut in Pool C action against the United States, Uruguay on July 24th. There is a third and final pool game against Fiji and a quarter-final a day later. The semi-finals and final are scheduled for July 27th.