The rugby sevens at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is now over but it drew in thousands of spectators at the Stade de France and millions of fans watching from home.

The sport has only been featured in the Olympics since 2016 and each Games the interest has grown in the sport.

In Paris it was France’s men and New Zealand’s women who picked up the gold medals. In the men’s event Fiji won silver and South Africa took home the bronze. In the women’s event Canada won silver and the USA took the bronze.

But what we are the talking points from the tournament? Here are the top five…

Five lessons from the Olympic Games rugby sevens

Rugby has its Olympic moment

Ireland’s Emily Lane catches the ball above Ireland’s Erin King during the women’s placing 7-8 rugby sevens match between Britain and Ireland during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)

The Stade de France is famed for its atmosphere, especially when it comes to rugby. The sevens tournament has been embraced by previous Games but none like Paris 2024.

Thousands were in attendance and it was not only for the men’s event but the women’s tournament too. The Olympics broke the record for the highest attendance of a women’s rugby event with around 66,000 attending each day. The previous record had seen 58,498 attend England v France at Twickenham.

Among the record breaking crowd were some star guests. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Jason Kelce brought even more attention to the sport.

Match attendances and atmosphere were not the only aspects to cement sevens’ elevated status at the Games, individual stars were too. The USA’s Ilona Maher has become the most followed current rugby player in the world with 2.3 million Instagram followers and the number only keeps increasing.

Rugby sevens has made a splash and organisers will be hoping it not only continues at other Olympics but spills into the world series too.

Antoine Dupont: Is he the GOAT of men’s rugby?

Antoine Dupont celebrates a try as France win the first team gold medal of the Paris Games (Getty Images)

France’s Antoine Dupont has been the poster boy of the men’s competition at this Olympics. Not only because he is the star of the host nation but because he went on to be the star of the men’s tournament. His performance coming on in the gold medal final was impeccable: two tries and an assist.

He has been in the greatest of all time conversation for his skills in the 15s game, which he displayed once again as he spearheaded club Toulouse to Champions Cup and Top 14 trophy success this season. But transferring that midas touch to the sevens game – a code he started to play after last year’s Rugby World Cup – has intensified the discussion further.

Related: Is Antoine Dupont the greatest rugby player of all time?

Of course the likes of Jonah Lomu and Bryan Habana are among names also thrown around – and for good reason – but Antoine Dupont has most definitely cemented himself in GOAT discussions for eternity.

He has now won the Six Nations, Champions Cup, Top 14 and the Olympic gold medal. If he goes on to win the Rugby World Cup with France he would have completed the sport.

Australia fail to medal

Teagan Levi and Maddison Levi of Team Australia are comforted by members of the crowd following defeat at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Australia were among the favourites to take the gold medal and their pool stage and quarter-final performances thoroughly supported the idea.

Maddison Levi was firing on all cylinders – going on to break the record for the amount of tries scored at a single Olympics with 14 – and the rest of the team were cohesive and clinical.

However, Canada blew them away in the semi-final to take them out of gold and silver contention. Many would scratch it up to be a great performance from Canada and surely Australia would take the bronze? No. The USA edged them out 14-12 and so the Aussies finished fourth.

It will go down as one of the biggest upsets in sevens history – as well as that Canada loss – and the Australia camp didn’t hide their disappointment.

Australia women’s coach Tim Walsh said: “They’re devastated. They’ve put a lot into it. Everyone is [devastated]. The staff are. But we got to hold our heads high. We came into this tournament to walk away without regret in terms of our preparation. Every single one of them has done that. So, they can be proud.

“They’re going to be disappointed obviously but I’m proud of them.”

USA create a rugby legacy

Team USA rugby sevens women’s team at Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Getty Images)

The USA won a medal in rugby sevens for the first time as a nation with the women’s bronze medal.

Their efforts have seen Michelle Kang – owner of London City Lionesses, Lyon women and Washington Spirit – invest $4 million over the next four years. In her speech to the players the businesswoman said it was with the intention of trying to get them the gold medal at the next Olympics – Los Angeles 2028.

The team has started a legacy and it’s clear they are only going to grow it from here.

What’s next for GB?

Great Britain’s Ellie Kildunne dejected after game at Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
(Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

The men’s competition did not feature Team GB as they failed to qualify but the women’s event did.

There weren’t any external expectations of a medal and they lost their quarter-final to eventual bronze medal winners the USA. But a costly mistake in the last play against China meant they were in the seventh and eighth place play-off instead of fifth and sixth.

GB won their final match, finishing in seventh, but the result and the men’s failure to qualify could mean their funding is not boosted for the next cycle. Funding is needed in order for the athletes to have the best resources and time to hone their craft, the team’s funding had already been reduced to a part-time basis heading into Paris.

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