Rugby Sevens Ready for Olympic Spotlight in Paris

Rugby Sevens aims to seize the spotlight in Paris after its Olympic debut in Rio 2016 and a sophomore showing at the COVID-19 affected Tokyo Games. World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin highlights the sport's opportunity to captivate new audiences, especially with France's Antoine Dupont playing a key role.

Rugby Sevens is poised to finally seize the spotlight in Paris after its Olympic debut in Rio in 2016 and its sophomore showing at the COVID-19 affected Tokyo Games, according to World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin.

The Olympic Rugby Sevens competition will be held at the Stade de France, the venue of last year's men's Rugby World Cup final and France's largest stadium. "This is the coming of age moment really for Sevens and we've always known the Olympic platform can be incredible," Gilpin told reporters.

"We know that Sevens is a form of the game that excites new audiences, it's easier to understand, it brings people into the game and this next week is going to shine a light on it that we've never had before," Gilpin continued. "It's a huge opportunity for us... We've seen it in previous Games. In places where rugby is not watched traditionally, we'll get some great audiences and we've got to work hard then as a sport to keep those people excited."

The rugby competition is among a handful of events beginning on July 24, ahead of Friday's Olympic opening ceremony. International Olympic Committee (IOC) Associate Director David Luckes urged the sport to make the most of its early start, stating, "Tomorrow is the most important day, because competition begins."

France's Antoine Dupont has garnered headlines ahead of the Games by showcasing his versatility, moving between the XVs and Sevens formats in recent months. The scrumhalf helped his club Toulouse win the European Champions Cup final in May and then drove France to victory in the season-ending Grand Final in Sevens a week later. Former France player Vincent Clerc expressed that Sevens rugby would benefit immensely from Dupont's image, adding, "He has a desire to promote Sevens rugby and to show that an Olympic medal in rugby is as important as a World Cup or a European Cup. Antoine carries this message well."