Welcome, 'Monsier' Dupont: the Rugby Sevens World Series crowns France | Sports | EUROtoday

Antoine Dupont is a winner, irrespective of what number of teammates he performs with. Every week after profitable the Champions League, probably the most desired identify in world rugby will compete this Sunday on the Metropolitano within the ultimate of the Rugby Sevens World Series, the Olympic modality that has led the architect of French rugby to desert his XV staff. to seek for gold in Paris. This is how Madrid welcomed the most effective rugby participant to ever compete in Spain. The event that nationwide rugby considers its launching pad to the world's first line was additionally the final main occasion of the game earlier than the Games.

World Rugby, the worldwide federation of this sport, debuted its finals format in Madrid, much like a tennis masters, after a calendar with occasions in Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore. After the group stage and the quarter-finals have been performed on Friday and Saturday, Sunday served as an enormous occasion, with 4 carefully fought semi-finals – all of which have been determined by one rating – and the pleased information for Spanish rugby, which At house he was arguing about remaining among the many 12 finest groups on the planet and he achieved it in each girls and boys.

Two seven-minute halves and 7 gamers per staff guarantee a dynamic and chaotic sport that results in an uncertainty that almost all format with 15 gamers usually lacks. There are additionally beatings, however the punishment lasts 14 minutes as a substitute of 80 after which there may be one other sport. “We don't always have the same teams winning,” summarizes the director of the occasion, Paula Hernández, who seems to the brand new generations. “Our potential market is the under-35 world. [representaron un 40% de los asistentes]. People can't sit for that long, XV rugby matches are quite long. “We are looking at models like the NBA, which provide dynamism, to create an attractive product for everyone.”

Compared to the static spectator of rugby seek for the shadow “For us it is more than sport, it is an experience for everyone,” Hernández emphasizes after a number of days with musical actions – a stage contained in the stadium – or a fan zone exterior the venue that hosted a seaside rugby competitors.

Hernández argues that sevens “is growing a lot around the world” because of being the Olympic modality. Fiji, one step beneath the greats within the XV, wields gold medals because of a format that matches its bodily rugby, with overflowing expertise and nonetheless missing the construction that the XV calls for. Spain has greater than 35,000 registered gamers and greater than 300 golf equipment. Madrid can even arrange the subsequent two editions. “It can create a legacy for rugby in general, which is what we are looking for at World Rugby. Maybe in a few years we can see the result.”

Between 35 and 40% of these attending the World Series ultimate have been foreigners. “We are very happy; the city is too.” Tourists from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, France or Argentina, the loudest fans, proud of their first place in the regular season in the men's team before being surpassed by the French defense in the final (19-5). Australia did beat the French team in the women's team thanks to Maddison Levi's hat trick (26-7).

But the spotlight went to Dupont, a substitute in the final before generating the decisive try. “It has been a very important attraction. “It has mobilized a large audience in France, we are very grateful.” The prices – from eight euros – have sought more to spread the sport in Spain than to raise revenue. The Metropolitano exceeded 20,000 spectators on Saturday and Sunday in a form with 12 hours of competition in which there are no full stadiums. Friday served as an invitation to schools, the breadbasket to which Spanish rugby aspires in the future.

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