Martin Hannan: Sevens final was advert for sport – Scotland’s summer tour not so much

France 28, Fiji 7, rugby won.

The French were truly magnifique in winning the Olympic Sevens in the Stade de France at the weekend  and Antoine Dupont yet again showed why he is the world’s number one player. I could not believe that the French coaches left him on the bench at the start of matches, but they were proved so right when Dupont came on to make a terrific impact, especially in the final.

He was a one man bomb squad and I am just delighted that he got the chance to show his vast talents on such a huge stage. Think of how great a legacy Dupont and his colleagues have created for French rugby – they will reap the benefit for years to come.

I am writing this before the outcome of the women’s Sevens is known but I can already say that both genders did rugby union proud and showed the world what a great game we have.

What a pity that Team GB did not qualify for the men’s tournament, but that was always a risk, one that I pointed out back in 2022 when the Scottish, English and Welsh national sevens were amalgamated into a Team GB core squad. It didn’t take this bear of little brain too long to figure out that because of the way Olympic qualification was structured it was going to be pretty tight for the Brits to qualify. And lo, it came to pass that they narrowly failed and thus Lisa Thomson was the only Scot to feature in the Sevens in Paris – a bit of a disgrace considering that we invented the sevens game here at Melrose.

The Team GB amalgamation approach seems here to stay especially as the 2026 Commonwealth Games are currently kaput – why do the authorities Down Under not take a lead from football’s Euros and have the various events moved to existing stadia and facilities around Australia? The Commonwealth as a whole should declare an emergency and do everything possible to make sure the 2026 Games ago ahead, even if they have to be postponed to 2027 – it was done for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for pandemic reasons so why not for the Games in which we get to see Team Scotland.

A lot of very tired Scottish men have made their way home from Uruguay and will get a short break before training starts for the season. Having watched every minute of every game at least once, I think I am entitled to say that the four fixtures against Canada, USA, Chile and Uruguay proved what Gregor Townsend always said – that this would be a development tour from start to finish.

I thought several players looked a bit leggy in the Uruguay game, but Townsend went to the bench as he always intended to do, and what a difference those second-half substitutions made, with Patrick Harrison and Pierre Schoeman both coming on to score a try and steady the front row, while Jamie Ritchie did inspirational Ritchie things late on.
Uruguay were not at full strength but then neither were Scotland, but it was the depth of talent in the Scottish squad that eventually told against very brave but limited opponents. The game in Montevideo was always going to be a tricky one, not least because it was the last match of a very long season, and there was at least a one big reason to celebrate when Duhan van der Merwe set the new record for tries scored by a Scottish internationalist – and the South African-born winger is hugely proud to play for Scotland, and on current form he will walk into the British and Irish Lions squad.

A few other points: I am absolutely delighted that Arnold Clark have signed up for a sponsorship-partnership with the SRU for years ahead. I know they really do take their support of sport seriously at Scotland’s largest motor sales company and at least there will be no criticism of the SRU being linked to a drinks firm which could have been a problem with the vociferous anti-alcohol mob.

I see the whispering campaign against John Jeffrey’s bid to get the high chair at World Rugby has escalated in recent weeks. Jeffrey isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but his appointment to the top job would surely be good for Scottish rugby and he should be endorsed.

The SRU AGM in November is still planned to be an online exercise. That will not change now, I am assured – so much for a more open and honest approach by the blazerati at Murrayfield who know they won’t have to share the room with their critics.

Next week I will review the season we have just had – in August for goodness’ sake – and look ahead to a potentially thrilling season ahead which will be upon us sooner than you might think.