Great to see Dupont going for Paris gold
The Rugby Paper|July 02, 2023
RATHER overlooked during a hectic end of season in France which saw Toulouse march off with all four national titles – Top 14, U20, U18 and U16 – was a report in the authoritative Le Parisien insisting that Antoine Dupont will be missing some or even all of the 2024 Six Nations to pursue his dream of also winning an Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics next July.
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
Great to see Dupont going for Paris gold

Now if that comes about it could be the biggest boost to the Sevens game since Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen suddenly emerged on the scene in the mid-90s to take various tournaments and championships by storm.

Household names and world stars is what Sevens needs, a bit of stardust to set it apart and to get all rugby fans engaged again, not just the Sevens diehards. Sevens has become a little too niche, a sport on its own played mainly by those who do not engage with the 15s game anymore. That needs to change.

The men’s and women’s Olympic tournaments will occupy six days at the Stade de France ahead of the athletics and Dupont’s presence alone would virtually guarantee 80,000 sellouts for every session of the men’s tournament.

Rugby Sevens has deliberately been placed front and centre of the entire Olympics by the French authorities and, after a low key start at Rio in 2016 and a crowd-less tournament at the delayed Covid Tokyo Olympics in 2021, this will be a huge moment for the sport. This is why various visionaries fought for decades to get rugby, in the form of Sevens, reintroduced to the Olympics.

In a departure from precedent, the pool stages of the men’s tournament will be held over two days at the Stade ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony itself, after which all concerned will come back for the knockout and medal matches the day after. The women’s event will then be run over three days following the men’s competition.

Esta historia es de la edición July 02, 2023 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición July 02, 2023 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE RUGBY PAPERVer todo
England can find a little bit of cheer
The Rugby Paper

England can find a little bit of cheer

SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
The Rugby Paper

Stop messing with Marcus - Campese

DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
The Rugby Paper

Being a Lion was the highlight of my career

I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.

time-read
6 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
The Rugby Paper

Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half

THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
The Rugby Paper

Forwards pack a punch for the Reds

OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
The Rugby Paper

Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley

SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
The Rugby Paper

Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon

FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
The Rugby Paper

It's a whole new ball game for Rigg

WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
The Rugby Paper

Scarratt leads the way for Lightning

LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.

time-read
1 min  |
November 24, 2024
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
The Rugby Paper

Becconsall: We need to release pressure

WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024