France Dominates Argentina in Thrilling Olympics Men’s Sevens Clash

In an electrifying display of skill and teamwork, France defeated Argentina to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Olympics men’s sevens rugby tournament, thrilling a passionate Parisian crowd. The match was not only a sporting contest but also a chance for France to assert its dominance over Argentina, following tensions between the two nations.

Aaron Grandidier, a London-born wing with an English father and a French mother, was the star of the show, scoring two spectacular tries that contributed to France’s 26-14 victory. His performance set the tone for jubilant celebrations as Les Bleus advanced to the next stage of the competition.

The backdrop to this rivalry stems from recent football encounters, where French fans were upset by Argentina’s perceived excessive celebrations after their 2022 World Cup win. This led to a hostile reception for the Argentine team at the Stade de France during the Olympic event, adding intensity to Thursday’s quarter-final.

The French team harnessed the energy of their home crowd, with back-rower Andy Timo scoring the opening try just two minutes into the match. Grandidier then followed with two impressive tries down the right wing, while Rayan Rebbadj added the conversions, giving France a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime, despite key player Antoine Dupont starting on the bench.

Argentina mounted a spirited comeback in the second half with tries from Rodrigo Isgro and Marcos Moneta, narrowing the gap to 21-14. Joaquin Pellandini’s successful conversions added to the tension, but France held firm to secure their victory.

Next, France will face South Africa, who delivered a stunning 14-7 victory over New Zealand, in the semi-finals on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ireland’s quest for an Olympic medal came to a heart-wrenching end as they fell 19-15 to the reigning two-time gold medalists, Fiji. Despite leading 15-12 in the second half, Ireland couldn’t withstand Fiji’s late surge, which set up a semi-final clash with Australia.

The Wallabies demonstrated their prowess with an 18-0 triumph over the United States in the last quarter-final match of the day. With the semi-finals set, rugby fans are eagerly anticipating the thrilling encounters ahead as the tournament continues to showcase the best of the sport on the Olympic stage.