Dakar 2026 YOG: Young French Players, Worthy Heirs, Clinch Rugby Sevens Gold

Carried by the spirit of the veterans and their elders who won gold at Paris 2024, the young players of the French rugby sevens team secured gold by defeating South Africa (26-19), capping an almost flawless run throughout the tournament at the Dakar YOG.

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 21:09 Modified on: 02/11/2026 - 21:11

From our special correspondent in Dakar

They had promised never to give up. Led by their captain Pablo Garbajosa, the young Bleuets kept their word in a final that epitomized their tournament: a dominant display, even if they gave themselves a scare. After a one-sided start, leading 21-5 in the first half, South Africa came back within two points, awakening fears at the Iba Mar Diop Stadium. "A final without fear is nothing," Pablo remarked. "We had a scare, but in the end we let loose. We won, so it's huge, I'm delighted."

This gold medal tells the story of a team that outclassed the competition—sweeping Uganda 58-0, Japan 48-0, and Canada 58-0 in the semifinals—yet that is not the essential part. Because at the core of this group, one word constantly returns: heritage.

A few weeks before Dakar, the Paris 2024 Olympic champions came to plant the seeds in France. Paulin Riva, captain of the senior rugby sevens squad, along with his teammate Stephen Parez, and Jérôme Daret, twice a World Cup quarterfinalist and present in the stands this Monday, spoke less about tactics and more about mindset. Mateo Tambo Fanchot summarized the elders' words: "Sevens rugby is a very mental sport; you must never give up. We saw that today. We stayed united and focused, and we managed to score right at the very end. What we retained is the mentality they instilled in us: to be like African wild dogs, never give up, and stay completely united."

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Sacha Leroy also attributes the victory to their heritage as much as to hard work. "The secret is work, the legacy of the seniors, and the fact that we became a tight-knit unit more than just a team. We are united, with a great atmosphere, but very serious."

Beating the "Blitzboks" holds symbolic weight. "It always feels good," Sacha confided. "Above all, it's an Olympic final and the legacy of Paris 2024. Stephen, Paulin, and Jérôme talked to us about heritage. Thanks to them, we had that firmly in our minds."

The heritage is also familial. In this French squad, four players carry names already written into the history of French rugby. Captain Pablo Garbajosa is the son of Xavier, a 1999 World Cup runner-up. Jules Vermeulen's father, Elvis, accumulated matches for Clermont and lifted the Six Nations Championship trophy in 2007. Gaspard and Simon, sons of former internationals Julien and Nicolas, carry on the lineage in turn.

For Pablo, the final began with an intimate message. "I sent a short message to my dad right before, told him I loved him, and to my mom and brother too. They sent me plenty of positive energy."

On the pitch at the Iba Mar Diop Stadium in Dakar, smiles lit up the fading daylight. The Bleuets are celebrating. "It was insane," an ecstatic Nathanael Senga Koua exclaimed. "We are a formidable team. We're great buddies and we all get along extremely well."

A fine group of youngsters who found a way to turn a legacy into a gold medal.

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