Antoine Dupont scores winning try to send France into sevens semi-finals in Vancouver
- Published
Antoine Dupont has 52 Test caps for France in the XV-a-side version of the sport
Antoine Dupont scored a last-gasp match-winning try against Ireland to earn France a place in the semi-finals of the SVNS event in Vancouver.
Dupont, 27, skipped this year's Six Nations to play sevens as he bids to win Olympic gold in Paris this summer.
With the scores level at 5-5 in their quarter-final against the Irish, Dupont sprinted off the back of a scrum to score in the corner.
However, France lost 28-26 to New Zealand in the semi-finals on Sunday.
They will face the United States in the bronze-medal match later on Sunday, while their female counterparts take on New Zealand in the women's final.
Dupont made his sevens debut off the bench during France's pool-stage victories over United States and Samoa on Friday.
The former World Player of the Year, who helped his country to a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022, scored his first sevens try in his side's final Pool B victory over Australia on Saturday.
"All the action on the field makes me more confident," said Dupont on Saturday. "I have to spend time on the field, spend time with the guys to know them better. I have to learn every minute when I am on the field.
"I played sevens a lot when I was 16, 17-years-old. After I became pro it was more difficult to play sevens so I just watched the game on TV and I watched a lot of players who are here now. It's a pleasure to play against them."
"There are very fast guys and they've known this game for a very long time. I'm new on the series so I have to learn. I have to do my best from the first game until the last."
Argentina overwhelmed United States 35-19 in the other men's semi-final.
Great Britain failed to get going in a one-sided 27-0 quarter-final defeat by the United States before beating Samoa to finish seventh.
GB women lost all three of their pool games and came 11th overall.