Laharrague inspires France to Youth Olympics sevens gold as South Africa's late comeback falls short

France are the men’s rugby sevens champions at the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games after edging South Africa 26-19 in a tense gold medal final at Complexe Iba Mar Diop, with Simon Laharrague delivering a 16-point individual performance that proved the difference between the two sides.

Laharrague set the tone immediately, converting his own try inside the opening two minutes. South Africa responded through Darnell Deleport, but France quickly reasserted control when Doryan Petitgent crossed the line. Laharrague then struck again with roughly 70 seconds remaining in the first half, sending France into the break with a commanding 21-5 lead.

With seven minutes standing between France and gold, South Africa mounted a dramatic fightback. Jake Dave scored two tries in as many minutes to reduce the deficit to two points with 58 seconds left on the clock, setting up a frantic finish centred on the restart. France held their nerve, with Gaspard Laharrague adding the final score to seal the title and end South Africa’s hopes of completing an unbeaten tournament.

South Africa had already made history before the final, becoming the first sevens side from their nation to claim a Youth Olympics medal after defeating Argentina 24-12 in the semi-finals. The silver medal represents a significant milestone for their programme at this level.

France’s path to the final was equally dominant. They dismantled Canada 58-0 in the semi-finals, having already accumulated more than 130 points across their three pool stage matches while conceding just seven. The gold medal continues a strong tradition for the nation — both France and Argentina have now medalled in men’s sevens at all three Youth Olympics editions.

Argentina secured bronze with a clinical 36-5 win over Canada, with Federico Anderson scoring a hat-trick to cap a composed performance. Germany finished fifth after defeating Japan 26-19, with Remy Folnovic scoring a crucial try inside the final 30 minutes. Senegal edged Uganda in a five-point contest to claim seventh place.

In the women’s competition, which began on Monday, Australia and Kenya won their opening Pool A matches, while Madagascar produced an early upset by defeating the United States 12-10. Australia later held on for a 21-15 win over China to maintain their unbeaten start, and Madagascar went two from two with a 19-12 victory over Spain.