The French women’s and men’s sevens rugby teams both won their first match in Los Angeles as part of the discipline’s world circuit tournament. Antoine Dupont’s teammates won against Canada, while the French women largely beat Japan.
The French women’s and men’s teams got off to a perfect start to the world sevens rugby circuit tournament in Los Angeles with a victory each on Friday, Antoine Dupont scoring a try at the end of the match for the men. In front of a meager audience (a few hundred people) at Dignity Health Sports Park (south of Los Angeles), the French, finalists of the Vancouver tournament (Canada) last week, enforced their status with a great success 35 to 7 against in Japan.
Good preparation for the Olympics
The Blues then struggled a little more before imposing their power on Canada (24-7), in a tournament which allowed them to prepare for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11). New attraction of rugby sevens, Antoine Dupont, emblematic captain of the French XV, was started for this first group match, and even scored a try at the very end of the match, beating two defenders in the race after being well served in the middle of the field.
The French, off to a good start after their 3rd place in Vancouver, had already taken off thanks to attempts by William Iraguha (5th, 7th) and Stephen Parez (11th). “The fact that he (Dupont) is there pushes us to give the best, commented Iraguha. At his level, he already showed us last weekend what he knew how to do, so much the better if we can all pull it up like that.”
The tournament continues on Saturday with the rest of the group stages and the men’s quarter-finals, before ending on Sunday.