Preview: Olympic Sevens

GO FOR GOLD: A full house of 69,000 fans is expected for the Olympics Sevens showdown in Stade de France, which hosted the Final of World Cup 2023.

The men’s competition takes place on July 24, 25 and 27 with the women’s tournament following on July 28-30.

The men’s Final on July 27 will be the first team sport gold medal of the Games in Paris.

Australia and Samoa kick off the men’s competition while hosts France begin against the USA and holders Fiji face debutants Uruguay.

Ireland and Great Britain begin the women’s tournament on July 28, while reigning champions New Zealand play Challenger champions China.

The preview continues below…

‘We are ready’

The BlitzBok team will start their third consecutive charge at Olympic gold with a clear endorsement from their coach, Philip Snyman.

The BlitzBoks face Ireland and New Zealand on the opening day of the competition at Stade de France on Wednesday and Snyman – a bronze medalist from the 2016 Games in Rio – said they have done everything possible to be at their competitive best this week.

“We are ready,” said Snyman.

“We had a good week of preparation since we arrived here, which included a good training session against Uruguay two days ago. That helped us a lot, as a match is always better than just training as a squad.

“We saw different pictures on attack and defence and had to adapt accordingly. It was a well worth exercise and sharpened us up nicely for the matches against Ireland and New Zealand.”

The face of Paris

All eyes are on Antoine Dupont, who has become one of the faces of the Games after his successful switch to the abbreviated game.

His absence from last season’s Six Nations did not sit right with many France fans, still in shock at the team’s quarterfinal exit from the World Cup on French soil.

But for all the criticism, his absence, and Olympic presence, has been two years in the making.

World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin said the inclusion of Dupont in the Olympics was essential to keep growing the sport.

“The Dupont impact is incredible,” Gilpin said.

“It’s provided a profile that we need to keep building.”

Dupont’s impact as a player in Sevens has been striking.

The combative scrumhalf helped France to a first tournament win on the Sevens series in 19 years, before helping the team to victory in the season-ending championship Finale in Madrid.

“For any sports fan, the Olympics are still mythical, the Holy Grail of sport and to be in with a chance of winning an Olympic medal is a highly motivating challenge,” Dupont said.

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The women in action

After helping New Zealand win gold at the postponed Tokyo Games three years ago, captain Sarah Hirini was named as flag bearer for New Zealand. It was a perfect end to a history-making week for the Kiwis.

If the New Zealanders are successful in their bid to go back-to-back on the Olympic stage, then Portia Woodman-Wickliffe will be awarded the very same honour. The retiring great is stepping away from Sevens after the Games, so this would be a perfect way to send her off.

Woodman-Wickliffe is the GOAT. Certainly, in women’s Sevens or even if you include 15s as well, there is no one who has had more impact as a true pioneer for the growth of the game. But her stellar career will be over by this time next week.

With Tyla King also retiring, the Kiwis have plenty of motivation to get the job done. As predicted above, if they bounce back after the heartbreak of Madrid to claim that sought-after gold, then Woodman-Wickliffe will be a flag bearer.

It’ll be a well-deserved moment for a legend of New Zealand sport.

In contrast, the South African Women’s Sevens team will look to write their name in history as they become the country’s first side to participate in the Olympics.

The newcomers could not have asked for a tougher assignment in their first Olympics as they face Australia, Ireland and Great Britain in Pool B.

But despite being the underdogs, South African Women’s Sevens star Nadine Roos said that they are not there just to make the numbers.

“We are not going to Paris for selfies with other sports superstars or just to participate, we are going to try and win a medal.”

Fixtures:

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Sources: AFP, WorldRugby & Rugbypass