Paris 2024 Olympics: Antoine Dupont has France dreaming of Olympic rugby gold
The script writers certainly got the memo when it comes to Antoine Dupont's participation at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
After captaining his nation’s 15s team to a heartbreaking quarter-final loss against South Africa at the 2023 Rugby World Cup - a tournament many thought it was the host nation’s destiny to win - the Toulouse man could bring home rugby sevens gold in the same Stade de France stadium.
It would be France’s version of Neymar’s epic redemption story, who was part of the Brazil team that were soundly beaten in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, before returning two years later to score the winning penalty in the Olympic final on home soil.
The major difference is that Dupont only returned to sevens last season. But the scrum-half's impact was immediate and magnificent. He played a pivotal role in Les Bleus’ first series victory for 19 years in Los Angeles, before helping the team to victory in the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid.
As a result, France are arguably the Olympic gold medal favourites, and are starting to believe.
What Antoine Dupont brings to the France rugby sevens team
Dupont’s decision to switch to the sport of rugby sevens after the World Cup was met with a fair amount of cynicism at home.
Many wanted the 2021 World Player of the Year to carry on and lift the team out of their gloom. In addition, there is not much crossover between the two versions of the sport these days, as both have become so specialist. So how could he get up to speed - literally - in such a short space of time?
But the scrum-half’s immediate impact in the sport took most fans and pundits, including those who approved of the move, by surprise.
Crucial scores, try assists, and turnovers on defence were pivotal in the Los Angeles victory. Then in Madrid, his calm head and leadership skills were on full display as France lifted the overall trophy with a final win over regular season league winners Argentina. In June this year, he was rewarded with the Rookie of the Year award despite having featured in just three of the season's eight legs.
Demonstrating his versatility and brilliance, he was even able to switch back to 15s with his club Toulouse in between his sevens stints to help them win the European Champions Cup.
"I think I bring experience," Dupont told Olympics.com at the Grand Final.
"Even if I don't have much in rugby sevens, I have experienced important 15s matches, very tight finishes of matches where we had to come back into the game. They are useful in experiencing how not to panic, to respect our principles, and stick to the collective and individual game patterns. And above all to continue to play our game without reacting to the context.
France captain Paulin Riva told LeMonde after their victory: "We have a good, big defence. Antoine is the best player in the world, we think! When he's on the pitch we have a lot of confidence."
A key example of this leadership quality came in an epic clash with Great Britain in the quarter-finals of the SVNS Grand Final.
With less than five minutes left in the game, France were trailing 12-5 and were slipping towards elimination from the tournament. Unperturbed, Dupont calmly waited for his moment.
Suddenly, from the side of the field on the 22-yard line, he squeezed through an invisible space, before demonstrating his strength in handing-off opposition skipper Robbie Fergusson and charging towards the in-goal area to score the try that levelled the game after a conversion and sent them to extra time. Buoyed by that momentum change, Nelson Epée went on to score the golden try that put France into the final four.
Dupont then came off the bench to inspire another comeback victory against Fiji in the last four, helping in the build-up of two second-half tries as they ran out 21-14 winners.
But even after going on to win the final and picking up the player of the tournament award, Dupont remained stoic, reminding his teammates that this was only a stepping stone towards their golden dream.
“It went well but we all know what the ultimate goal of the project is. This victory brings confidence. We have to celebrate that, we have to pay respect to the efforts we all made. But we know why we're training, we know why we're doing these tournaments, it's for the Olympics. We're having a lot of fun and we're winning matches, we're winning tournaments, so let's hope it continues.
"For any sports fan, the Olympics are still mythical. Hosting this event in France will be an incredible celebration, and to be in with a chance of winning an Olympic medal is a highly motivating challenge.”
Antoine Dupont, rugby player, is the last torchbearer during the 9th stage of the Olympic Torch Relay in Toulouse, southwest of France, May 17, 2024.
A difficult path to glory at Paris 2024
Another reason to remain grounded for France this summer, is the amount of talent that will be on show.
New Zealand are 14-time world champions and won Olympic silver in Tokyo. They are a team that knows how to produce their best on the big occasion and Dupont has plenty of experience playing against the mighty All Blacks.
Regular season table toppers Argentina have two World Sevens Player of the Year winners in their ranks in the electric Marcos Moneta and Rodrigo Isgro, and will be determined to avenge their Grand Final loss, while France have been drawn in the same group as double reigning Olympic champions Fiji, who looked to have finally hit form at the perfect moment.
Elsewhere, Ireland are the new team on the block in men's sevens, and have selected a code-hopping superstar of their own in Hugo Keenan, who paid homage to his old adversary from the Six Nations.
"In rugby sevens, Dupont is phenomenal," Keenan told Olympics.com. "You've seen the difference he can make. He's set the bar very high for players who now want to come to sevens."
Adding to the sense of this Hollywood-worthy movie script is the fact France won the 15-a-side rugby gold medal at the 1900 Olympics in Paris.
It was the final time rugby appeared at the Games until Rio 2016 when it returned to the progamme in its sevens format. France's men finished seventh in that edition and failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020.
The Paris 2024 Games are a once in a lifetime sporting opportunity, and its little wonder that Dupont jumped at the chance to switch to sevens.
“Of course I have no regrets. I set myself the goal of the Games and I wanted to use all the means at my disposal to be in the best possible condition to achieve it," he said.
"The adaptation was great and it’s been a collective effort from everyone in the group to get where we are now.”
Predictably, when Dupont's name was called out as France ran on to the pitch for their first game at Paris 2024 against the USA, the sold out Stade de France unleashed a deafening roar.
The little magician didn't disappoint, playing a key part in both of his team's scores, with the match eventually being drawn at 12-12.
Enjoy the latest instalment of the magnificent Dupont show.