VIDEO: Dupont steals the show at Canada SVNS
WATCH as former World Rugby Player of the Year Antoine Dupont talks about his match-winning try at the Vancouver leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series.
Dupont was again a star attraction, scoring a last gasp match-winning try to earn France a place in Sunday’s semifinals after recording his first international Sevens try in their earlier win over Australia to maintain a perfect win record in Vancouver.
He scored a try deep into injury time to send France into the semifinals with a 12-5 quarterfinal victory over Ireland.
Dupont, France’s regular 15-a-side captain and scrumhalf – who has switched to Sevens in order to play in this year’s Olympics – settled a tense battle with the final play of the game at Vancouver’s BC Place stadium.
Coming on as a substitute, Dupont burst down the blindside from a scrum to dot down in the corner for an opportunistic score.
It completed a gutsy comeback for France, who at one stage were reduced to five men after seeing both Joseph Jefferson Lee and Rayan Rebbadj pick up yellow cards in quick succession.
France, who face a semifinal meeting against New Zealand on Sunday, had earlier dismantled Australia 31-5 in their final Pool B game, with Dupont among France’s five try-scorers.
* (Continue below the interview …)
“You just have to watch the guys on the pitch to understand why I was scared!”@Dupont9A is growing in confidence at #HSBCSVNSVAN #HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/LqYCWJoAD3
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) February 25, 2024
“All the action on the field makes me more confident,” he said in a post-match media briefing.
“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.”
A very happy @Dupont9A with the winning try✌️🇫🇷#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSVAN https://t.co/Do60JNrteM pic.twitter.com/cblmq3QAnP
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) February 25, 2024
