Rugby 7s: “I find him very comfortable”, in Vancouver, first major test for Antoine Dupont ahead of the Olympic Games

Première victoire en tournoi pour les Bleus avec l'aide de Dupont ? MAXPPP – Matthieu Mirville

La star du rugby français Antoine Dupont va lancer vendredi son aventure olympique en participant, avec l'équipe de France de rugby à VII, à sa première étape du circuit mondial à Vancouver.

After winning the Top 14 (2019, 2021, 2023) and the Champions Cup (2021) with Toulouse, but failing with the XV of France in the quarter-final of "sa" World Cup on October 15 against South Africa, Antoine Dupont has set a new goal at the age of 27: the Olympics.

In full preparation for the Olympic Games

Absent from the Six Nations Tournament this year to concentrate on his Olympic preparation, the usual captain of the French XV (52 caps) will continue his adaptation to rugby sevens by taking part in two stages of the world circuit: Vancouver (February 23-25) and Los Angeles (March 2-3).

"There are still quite a few changes (between the XV and VII) ", explained Antoine Dupont."It remains the same sport but the playing principles are different, as are the physical and athletic profiles. So I'm in the learning phase at the moment."

"I already find him very comfortable", commented the coach of the VII of France Jérôme Daret after Dupont's first training session with his group at the beginning of January. "He's a player who comes to expose himself, he leaves his comfort zone and wants to fight.

Working hard never looked so good 🤝@FranceRugby getting ready for a big performance at #HSBCSVNSVAN 👏#HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/CjZy4cEeq1

— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) February 20, 2024

If Dax's former scrum-half has "no worries" as for the adaptation of Antoine Dupont to the tactics of his team, the stakes will be "to get him to bear the workload and to tend towards what is the requirement of rugby sevens".

"There are differences compared to rugby union on the physical dimension. Antoine has all the skills to be able to exist in this game, in relation to speed, but he must gradually be brought to be able to support this load", he said detailed.

Can the Blues win the tournament with Dupont ?

After participating in a full week of training with his new teammates at the beginning of February, Dupont should play his first minutes in the French VII jersey on Friday or Saturday during the group stage of the Vancouver tournament.

The program for the men’s 7 of France in Vancouver

Friday (11:36 p.m.): France – United States

Saturday (04:40 a.m.): France – Samoa

Saturday (10:49 p.m.): Australia – France

Sunday (from 2:38 a.m.): final phase

(French times)

Seventh in the world circuit after three stages, the French will begin their group stage against the United States (8th in the world), before facing Samoa (9th) and the United States (8th in the world), before facing Samoa (9th) and the United States (8th in the world). Australia (3rd).

During the first three tournaments, the Blues twice reached the quarter-finals, eliminated by Ireland in Perth and by Fiji in Cape Town.