At 22, Louis Bielle-Biarrey has already etched his name into French rugby history—but he may be about to reinvent himself entirely. The Bordeaux Bégles wing, fresh off a record-breaking Six Nations campaign, is exploring a surprise pivot to rugby sevens with hopes of representing France at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, following in the path laid by his countryman Antoine Dupont.
Bielle-Biarrey's credentials in the fifteen-a-side game are undeniable. He has scored 29 tries across 27 appearances for France, including a stunning nine tries in this season's Six Nations alone. Yet despite those numbers—or perhaps because of the hunger that drives them—the young star sees an opportunity in a different format. French media reports that a release clause to play sevens has become part of his contract extension negotiations with Bordeaux Bégles, signaling serious intent.
The precedent is compelling. Dupont, France's talismanic scrum-half, made a similar leap in 2024, stepping away from Six Nations rugby to prepare for the Paris Olympics. The gamble paid off spectacularly: he helped France secure its first gold medal of the Games on home soil. Now, French Rugby Federation president Florian Grill is openly backing Bielle-Biarrey to replicate that success. "Louis would be an excellent rugby sevens player, of course," Grill told L'Equipe, speaking to the natural fit between Bielle-Biarrey's pace, finishing ability, and the demands of the condensed format.
Switching between formats is no longer a footnote in rugby's margins. The women's game has normalized the transition: Meg Jones and Ellie Kildunne, who would go on to star in England's 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup triumph, played sevens at the Paris Olympics. Ilona Maher of the Bristol Bears won bronze for Team USA in the same Games—and discovered a massively expanded social media following in the process. On the men's side, All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams and Rieko Ioane have both represented New Zealand at the Olympics, while South Africa's double World Cup winners Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith played together at Rio 2016.
What makes Bielle-Biarrey's potential move particularly striking is the timing. France enters Los Angeles 2028 as defending Olympic champions in sevens, making the format a genuine pathway to glory rather than a detour. For a player of his caliber—explosive, lethal in space, accustomed to high-stakes competition—the sevens arena offers both a fresh challenge and a chance to add an Olympic medal to his résumé.
The backdrop also matters. Great Britain's sevens programs, both men's and women's, have just been relegated to the second tier of the world circuit due to financial pressures, highlighting the real stakes and intensity of Olympic rugby sevens. Yet for France, and for Bielle-Biarrey, the pathway remains clear. Should he commit fully to the format, Los Angeles awaits—a stage where another French rugby star could cement a legacy that spans both codes.