France make SVNS Series history with record-breaking win over Argentina

France delivered one of the most dominant performances ever seen on the HSBC SVNS Series, smashing Argentina by a record margin at the Dubai Sevens – winning 59-7 in a dramatically one-sided pool stage clash on Saturday.

After starting the 2025/26 SVNS Series with an agonising three-point defeat to reigning world champions South Africa, France looked to bounce back against Argentina, who are the two-time defending League Winners on the circuit.

Los Pumas Sevens were defeated 26-19 by Fiji in the opening match of their campaign, making their second fixture a must-win. With a new competition format sending the top two teams from each pool to the semis, Argentina needed a positive result to keep their title hopes alive.

Jordan Sepho and Celian Pouzelgues crossed for early tries as France took a 12-0 lead, before the Argentinians hit back through Santiago Vera Feld in the fourth minute. It had been a one-score game deep in the first half, but Les Bleus Sevens took control almost in a flash.

Sepho completed a double before Antoine Zeghdar added to France’s lead, as the Paris Olympics gold medallists took a commanding 19-point advantage into the break. Sepho made it a hat-trick of tries with a ninth-minute effort, as France truly took over in record-breaking fashion.

Andy Timo scored two tries, before Ali Dabo completed the one-sided victory with a swan dive in the final play of the match. Enahemo Artaud took a tap before passing the ball onto the try-scorer, who strolled through a gap in Argentina’s defensive line.

“That’s a good way to punctate this performance which has been outstanding from France. It is a record score, the most points France haver ever scored against Argentina in HSBC SVNS by some margin,” commentator Rupert Cox said after Dabo’s try.

“The fifth time in history Argentina have conceded 50-plus points in a game, 59 to France, Argentina [with] just the seven. Another game to play for France against Fiji.”

France secured their place in the semi-finals with a hard-earned 24-19 triumph over Fiji, who are also through to the final four. Josselin Bouhier scored France’s final try of the match, with Fiji running out of time in a valiant comeback effort.

Argentina returned to winning ways 19-14 against South Africa. Marcos Moneta got the try-scoring party started with an early effort, before Santiago Mare and Juan Patricio Batac made their mark on the scoreboard later in the contest.

With New Zealand and Australia doing enough to progress out of Pool B, the semi-finals were confirmed before day two. France and Australia would do battle in the first men’s semi, while the All Blacks Sevens were matched up with traditional sevens rival Fiji.

“I actually didn’t watch the last bit of that game,” All Blacks Sevens representative Rob Rush said after the team’s thrilling win over Australia on day one.

“I actually had my head down. I was just saying, ‘I trust the boys, I trust the boys’. I should have said, ‘I trust the TMO, I trust the TMO’.

“It was good that the boys could finish real hearty like that. It was mean.”