Antoine Dupont plays his first minutes, France unfolds… What to remember from the night’s matches in Vancouver

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The French rugby star made his official rugby sevens debut on the night of Friday to Saturday in Vancouver (Canada).

France Télévisions – Sports Editorial

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Antoine Dupont (right) and Esteban Capilla (left), during the match between France and the United States at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Vancouver (Canada). (JEFF VINNICK / AFP)

The attraction Antoine Dupont, who is aiming for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, played his first minutes with the French rugby sevens team in Vancouver (Canada) on Friday February 13. The Blues shone during the first day of the fourth stage of the world circuit with a victory against the United States (24-12) then a show of strength against Samoa (40-7). They imitated the French women’s team, also victorious twice (26 to 14 against Canada, then 19 to 7 against Spain).

Before the last match of the group stage on Saturday (three groups of four, the first two in each group and the two best third-placed teams are qualified), the two French teams, at the top of their group, are guaranteed to play the quarter-finals. final Saturday.

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Vancouver tournament: the summary of France – United States (M)

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All eyes were on Vancouver’s Antoine Dupont (27), rugby union star, emblematic captain of the French team and Stade Toulouse, who has set himself the goal of shining at the Paris Games this summer. The quarter-finalist of the last rugby union world championship made a discreet debut but praised by the public by starting the two matches on the bench, only to enter both times in the 11th minute (a match is divided into two periods of seven minutes ), while the meeting was folded each time.

In such a short time, Antoine Dupont, number 25 on the back, did not score a try, but was involved in some actions, passing and in rucks, where he was sanctioned once by the ‘arbitrator. The arrival of the Toulouse player in the France group is not “not easy because he’s a great player”commented his teammate Paulin Riva. “We want to help him maximize his great potential so that he can be good for the team.”

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Vancouver: the entry of Antoine Dupont which leads to the essay by Théo Forner

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If it had a message to convey, the French men’s team showed that the machine was perfectly oiled and that Antoine Dupont was not wearing the savior costume but was going to have to fight to find his place. After a messy start to the match against the United States (8th in the world circuit), the Blues (7th) ended up winning (24-12, 4 tries) before putting up a display against Samoa (9th), crushed 40 to 7, with six tries.

Irresistible French women

For their part, the Blue, Olympic vice-champions in Tokyo in 2021 and even better placed in the world hierarchy (3rd), assumed their status as favorites in their group with two authoritarian successes. They first cooled the local public by easily beating Canada (26-14) thanks to four tries, two of which were thanks to the powerful Séraphine Okemba.

In difficulty at the end of the match, the French finally managed to score a third try synonymous with victory thanks to a magnificent run from Anne-Cécile Ciofani, part of her camp and who will flatten her second try of the tournament under the opposing posts. -

Vancouver: Anne-Cécile Ciofani scores the last French try

In difficulty at the end of the match, the French finally managed to score a third try synonymous with victory thanks to a magnificent run from Anne-Cécile Ciofani, part of her camp and who will flatten her second try of the tournament under the opposing posts. – ()

They then dominated Spain (19-7) with three tries and are among the favorites to reach the semi-finals and the final played on Sunday. The world rugby sevens circuit will then stop in Los Angeles next week, where Antoine Dupont will still be with the Blues.


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