Dupont inspires France to World Sevens win in Madrid

Rugby fans were fixed a sensation of what they tin expect astatine nan Olympics arsenic France fable Antoine Dupont inspired his state to a Sevens World Series triumph successful Madrid.

The French ran 3 tries past favourites Argentina to triumph nan last 19-5, pinch Dupont laying connected nan decisive 3rd people for Paulin Riva.

After waiting 19 years for a Sevens title, France person now won 2 of nan 5 tournaments since Toulouse scrum-half Dupont joined nan squad from nan 15-a-side team.

"Antoine is nan champion subordinate successful nan world, we think," said Riva. "When he is connected nan transportation we person a batch of assurance and we are very happy tonight.

"We consciousness nan Olympics arrived correct now."

Dupont, 27, is expected to beryllium 1 of nan faces of this summer's Olympic Games successful Paris and played a cardinal domiciled successful his side's Madrid success.

He scored a effort and group up different arsenic nan French came from down to hit Great Britain 17-12 aft other clip successful nan group stages to scope nan semi-finals.

And Dupont past came disconnected nan chair to animate different comeback triumph against Fiji successful nan past four, helping successful nan build-up of 2 second-half tries arsenic they ran retired 21-14 winners.

Argentina hit New Zealand by nan aforesaid scoreline successful nan semis and successful nan final, Luciano Gonzalez went complete successful nan area to springiness nan Pumas a 5-0 lead precocious successful nan first half.

But France responded pinch a superb breakaway effort nether nan posts from Stephen Parez-Edo Martin conscionable earlier half-time.

Dupont came connected aft nan break pinch his broadside starring 7-5 and, aft Jefferson-Lee Joseph had vanished a flowing move to widen their advantage, he took retired 2 defenders to laic a walk connected a sheet for Riva to seal nan win.

After picking up nan subordinate of nan tourney award, Dupont said: "I dream it [the Olympics] will beryllium a immense tourney for us. Obviously we want to triumph but location are galore different countries who want to triumph arsenic well. We person 2 months now to activity arsenic difficult arsenic we tin and hopefully we will beryllium fresh travel July."

The men's sevens tourney gets nether measurement astatine nan Olympics successful Paris connected 24 July, pinch nan women's arena starting connected 28 July.