France 7s Teams Begin Rebuild in Dubai

With an eight-team format, the opening stages are inevitably challenging. The French men’s team is grouped with South Africa, the bronze medalist in Paris (match this Saturday at 10:32 a.m.French time), Argentina (same day, 1:38 p.m.), and Fiji, the Paris finalist (5:12 p.m.). The top two teams advance too the semi-finals, played on sunday.

“Dubai will allow us to validate the first benchmarks of a very motivated squad,” said the coach.”I am convinced that this team has the energy and the mindset to lay the foundations for a solid season from this first stage.”

In Training

Of the thirteen players selected by Benoît Baby, only five competed in the Paris Games: Paulin Riva, stéphane Parez-Edo, Jordan Sepho, Andy Timo, and Antoine Zeghdar. Among the new players, Josselin Bouhier, 22, a third-line forward from Pau, trained in La Rochelle. Having won the circuit in 2024 and finished 5th last year, the French men are launching a reconstruction to develop new talents, and are doing so without all of their key players.

With Lilou Graciet, Aëlig Tregouet, and two players from La Rochelle, Aquitaine brings fresh talent to the team.

The French women’s team, 5th in Paris and 8th overall last season, begins the tournament on Saturday at 7:58 a.m. against New Zealand, the Olympic champion and winner of the 2024-2025 circuit, followed by Fiji at 10:59 a.m. and the United States (2:05 p.m.), who also competed in Paris last season. Only three players from the Olympics are in Dubai: Périgourdine Carla Neisen (Blagnac), Alycia Christiaens, and Lou Noël Rivier.

Fans will be watching landaise Lilou Graciet (center or fly-half), 21, closely.