rejuvenated team, new ambitions… The Blues Olympic champions showcase their title in Dubai

The glorious page of the Olympic Games ended last Sunday, during the World Rugby Awards ceremony, with real fireworks when Antoine Dupont was elected best player in the world at 7 and Jérôme Daret was crowned coach of year, a first for a septist technician. A triumph for French rugby sevens. But the page has definitely been turned. After the friendly tournament in Elche at the end of October (defeat in the final against Spain), the competition resumes its rights this weekend with the first stage of the world circuit which takes place in Dubai.

“We took advantage of the post-Olympic Games period. It was time to get back to work, confides Olympic champion Antoine Zeghdar (25 years old). It makes you want to start again and train hard to achieve your goals. We are high-level athletes, we love competition. The Olympic Games are not an end in themselves. We are keen to continue to perform well and look for other things. It’s not necessarily very difficult to get back into it. It makes us want to continue and look for more.” The French team has changed its face, with a new coach, Benoît Baby, and only five gold medalists present at the restart (Paulin Riva, Stephen Parez-Edo Martin, Jordan Sepho, Varian Pasquet and therefore Antoine Zeghdar) in the group of 13 players selected for the Emirati stage.

Winning once – I’m not going to say it’s easy – but it’s doable. Staying on top is very difficult

Varian Pasquet

Some, after the adventure adorned with gold at the Olympics, returned to the Top 14. Antoine Dupont therefore, but also Jean-Pascal Barraque (Perpignan), Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang (Pau) or Rayan Rebbadj (Toulon). “We don’t really think about those who returned to XV. We just want to start preparing for the next Games which are in four years, underlines Varian Pasquet, also 25 years old. What will be important is that we all raise our level so that we have a very homogeneous team, as was the case at the previous Olympics. Whether it’s the substitutes or the starters on the pitch. Besides, in each match, things were mostly going well and there was the same level on the pitch. That’s what’s essential: creating a team and a group very quickly and very homogenous.”

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“The integration of the new people went well. In fact, there is a France Développement system in place, continues Antoine Zeghdar who is a Castres player. They already had some knowledge of our game system, they didn’t have much difficulty getting up to speed. And then, they’re great guys. We all got along well right away. They are very well integrated. We have a good group.” His teammate Varian Pasquet adds that“They listen a lot. That comes into play a little, the fact that we won. They tell themselves we are experts. They learn through us. I think it had a small positive impact on the group. We must now take responsibility as leaders and show them the way. Because the world circuit is something else…”

And to warn: “We have to be realistic, we have a new group. At least making a podium in our first tournaments, I think it would be very good with this new group. We cannot say that we are necessarily in continuity. The group has changed, the coach has changed. It’s difficult to immediately find the same standards. But our will and the will of those who have just arrived is to win.”

It is a certainty that we will be expected. We must assume this role

Antoine Zeghdar

Motivation therefore remains intact, especially for the “old hands”. The goal of the Los Angeles Olympics is on everyone’s minds. “We could have asked ourselves the question of whether we stopped with an Olympic title, but it’s always super exciting and motivating to continue. Because winning once – I’m not going to say it’s easy – but it’s doable. Staying on top is very difficult, advances Varian Pasquet. Obviously, it’s motivating for us. We are all competitors on this team and we all want to go back. We’ll see how it goes.” For their resumption, the Blues of 7 inherited a tough group with South Africa, Australia and Kenya.

From now on, France – the only Olympic champion nation with Fiji (2016, 2021) – will now be the team to beat. With a new status to assume. “It’s a certainty that we will be expected. We must assume this role, insists Antoine Zeghdar. We must continue with our principles and in our playing system which has worked until now. That’s what’s going to be the most important. Continue doing what we know how to do and be as efficient as possible to arrive in Dubai and be able to play in the best possible way.” To do little victory dances again? Both players smile: “For now, we are focused on rugby. We put it on standby… Maybe we’ll look later!”

The Blues program in Dubai:
Saturday November 30 (French time)
France-Kenya at 7:50 a.m.
France-Australia at 12:20 p.m.
France-South Africa at 5:44 p.m.