Global Partners
Global Partners
label.rwc7s2022.logo-alt-text label.rwc7s2022.logo-alt-text label.rwc7s2022.logo-alt-text
Listen Live
  • Get Tickets
  • Teams & Qualifying
  • Video
  • News
  • Get Tickets
  • Teams & Qualifying
  • Video
  • News
  • Venue
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ Tickets
  • About RWC Sevens
  • Media
  • Contact Us
World Rugby
Website language
English
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • 日本語
Website language
English
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • 日本語
  • About RWC Sevens
  • Media
  • Contact Us
Latest News
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day Three
1 min read

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Island Tribe to keep fans protected as the sun shines on Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Island Tribe has been appointed as an Official Supplier of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in Cape Town, as momentum continues towards the biggest showcase of the sevens game on the planet.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Thu 23 June, 2022
1 min read
World Rugby logo - one to use for generic releases
1 min read

RWC Sevens 2022

Match officials selected for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in South Africa

World Rugby has announced the selection of match officials for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, which takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 9-11 September.

RWC Sevens 2022

Fri 10 June, 2022
1 min read
HSBC France Sevens 2022 Women's
3 min read

RWC Sevens 2022

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022: 100 days to go

As the countdown to RWC Sevens 2022 heads into the final 100 days, we give you the lowdown on the showpiece tournament to get you excited for kick-off in Cape Town.

RWC Sevens 2022

Wed 1 June, 2022
3 min read
Andy Vilk, head coach of Italy men's sevens
4 min read

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Italy men’s sevens team seeks return to the big stage

The European men's qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 is on the horizon with the prize of four tickets to Cape Town, South Africa at stake in July.

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Thu 19 May, 2022
4 min read
HSBC Canada Women's Sevens 2022
4 min read

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Black Ferns Sevens renew riveting rivalry with Australia on HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Australia wrapped up the 2022 Series title in Langford, but the Black Ferns Sevens left Canada with plenty to celebrate as they begin a busy period.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Tue 3 May, 2022
4 min read
2018 Highlights
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
08:29 mins

Highlights: New Zealand win big in San Francisco

New Zealand retained their Rugby World Cup Sevens title in San Francisco
Mon 23 July, 2018
08:29 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
07:03 mins

Highlights: New Zealand women's win Rugby World Cup Sevens

Check out all the top action as New Zealand win The Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco
Sun 22 July, 2018
07:03 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day Two
06:30 mins

HIGHLIGHTS: Men's semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day two

Men's semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day two of action at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 #RWC7s
Sun 22 July, 2018
06:30 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day One
06:51 mins

Highlights: Men's quarter-finals decided

Men's quarter-finals of Rugby World Cup Sevens decided after incredible first day at AT&T Park
Sat 21 July, 2018
06:51 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
06:26 mins

Highlights: Women's semi-finals confirmed at Rugby World Cup Sevens

Championship semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day one of action
Sat 21 July, 2018
06:26 mins
Olympic Games
Sunday 25 July, 2021
5 min read

France's second generation Olympian Anne-Cécile Ciofani out to make parents proud

The 27-year-old is preparing for her first Olympic Games with the France team. She will also be following in family footsteps: her father Walter Ciofani and her mother Jeanne Ngo Minyemeck represented their respective countries, France and Cameroon, at the Olympics.
  • label.share.via_facebook_messenger
  • label.share.via_whatsapp
  • label.share.via_facebook
  • label.share.via_twitter
  • label.share.via_copy
    URL Copied

Throwing is a family affair for the Ciofanis. It all started in 1962 with the birth of Walter in Sedan, France. He became a French hammer throwing champion five times, from 1983 to 1987, came seventh at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, 11th at the World Championships in 1987 in Roma, and sixth at the World Championships in Tokyo six years later. In Cameroon, in 2969, Jeanne Ngo Minyemeck was born. She too was a thrower, discus and hammer specialist, African champion, and Olympian in Seoul in 1988.

From this union three daughters were born, whose fates will ultimately prove to be very close to that of their parents: Audrey and Juliette, who are two great Olympic hopes as French hammer throwers, but also Ciofani who, before turning to rugby sevens, was also, naturally, predestined to throw.

As her parents had done before her – Walter under the French flag in 1984 and Jeanne under the colours of Cameroon in 1988 – Ciofani will also participate in the Olympic Games as a member of the French women's rugby sevens team.

Champion parents

“I took a completely different path, but I thought for a long time, that I had to throw like my parents. And finally, it was my dad who threw me into heptathlon. I started with the hammer, let it go, came to heptathlon, and rode with the discus. Maybe it is in the genes, it's true," she laughs.

“My father was always 'Walter Ciofani, the record holder for France'… it was always the image of the man highly respected, admired, and I was in the same state of mind every time we went out. After that, I switched to a search for my own identity, which is to say, I tried to detach myself from the image of "daughter of".

"I saw some videos; they pop up from time to time in the archives. I have images of my father, of my mother, although it is a little rarer for my mother. We have some pictures of them younger, it is kind of funny to see that.

"And then over time my image of my mother also changed. I saw her more as a mother than a former athlete. And me, going through that today is a bit special because I tell myself that she stopped her career for her desire to have children. I put myself in parallel because today we, as women and top athletes, aspire to combine the two. And today I see my mum more as a mum than a sportswoman and my dad still as a huge athlete that he once was."

A choice between heart and reason

Ciofani turned to sevens, rather than throwing, and it is no coincidence. She discovered rugby at the age of 18 and it was rather a fierce ambition that brought her to where she is today.

"It was complicated, a very difficult choice between a love of the sport and the pursuit of the high level which was more attainable in rugby," she admits. "I made the choice to try rugby sevens and I fell in love with the sport for the atmosphere around it. This is something that we do not know in athletics in terms of values, relationships.

“It took me a while to invest in it but once I understood the importance this sport was taking on in my life, the choice was clear to me. But it's true that it hasn't been easy."

What is certain is that her athleticism and skills greatly influenced her success in sevens. Ciofani, who signed as a professional rugby player with the French Rugby Union in September 2017, boasts 160 points in 63 games played in 11 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series events. When she gets her long legs going, she is a real threat to any opponent.

"It is true that the physical qualities of athletics allow us to have a certain 'ease' on the field, even if it is absolutely not the same," she said. “The harshness of training in athletics gives us a picture of the harshness of training in rugby, but it's still different. Even the team athletics is not strong enough to describe what you experience in this group."

09:48 mins
Should this try have been disallowed for offside?
Nigel Owens dives into the biggest referee decisions across the world of rugby including a controversial try which was given after an offside incident, in Whistle Watch. He also puts his thinking cap on looking forward to the July Tests, who do you think will come out on top?

Soon indispensable

In August 2016, Ciofani did not have a foot on the planet sevens. And Rio 2016, the first Olympic tournament in which France finished sixth, was not her focus.

"In August 2016, I was on holiday with my family, and I admit that I followed athletics more than other sports," she smiles. "My sport of heart was athletics. If you're passionate about a sport, it's hard to quit. And at that time, I was not passionate enough about rugby to follow the rugby sevens closely. I watched the matches later."

Very quickly, Ciofani became indispensable in the team, winning the Tudor Breakthrough Player of the Tournament award at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018. Qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Games was not a long quiet river. As coach David Courteix admits: "We had three chances to qualify, we chose the third".

It was at the repechage tournament in Monaco in June. “Obviously that was a relief, but it was a pretty weird feeling. After Kazan (the qualifying tournament for Europe won by Great Britain in 2019) we took a serious blow to morale and the COVID year and the year that followed prepared us for a single goal. Although it was a relief, it was our primary goal. We couldn't see ourselves doing anything other than qualifying."

A different Olympics

Like all French rugby sevens fans, Ciofani is now completely focused on the women's tournament which will take place from 29-31 July, 2021. France sit in Pool B and will play Canada, Fiji and Brazil.

“The matches will be close to the World Series because these are teams that we meet all year round. I think that everything that will be done alongside will make the Olympics more impressive: the Olympic village, the preparation on Japanese territory," she said.

“But audience or no audience in the stadium, we will go for one thing. A busy stadium helps, especially when you know there is family in the stands. They won't be there, but they better be up in the middle of the night to watch us!"

Before leaving France, Ciofani had time to discuss the subject with her parents and sisters. “We talk about it a lot with my father. He often tells me about his experiences, his feelings, how he approached the competition. I think we will have a lot to share when I live it because things have changed a lot and there, given the health situation, it is even more unprecedented. It will be so different.

"And then my sisters are behind me all the way, it's so funny. COVID has been very complicated for individual sports. They made the choice to move away, to start school again. The hammer is in parentheses for now. But it would have been fabulous to meet in Tokyo all three of us, or in Paris 2024, if I ever go."

 

Sign up to our newsletter below for more on Olympics rugby sevens

Trending News Show all
RWC 1995: trophy presentation
2 min read

RWC Sevens 2022

Francois Pienaar can’t wait for Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town

The former Springbok captain, who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup with South Africa at RWC 1995, is looking forward to welcoming the world's best sevens players to Cape Town in September.

RWC Sevens 2022

Fri 24 June, 2022
2 min read
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
2 min read

Olympic Games

Olympic Day: Countdown to Paris 2024 already under way

On the day that the world gets moving, World Rugby looks at the qualification pathway for the men’s and women’s sevens tournaments at the next Olympic Games.

Olympic Games

Thu 23 June, 2022
2 min read
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day Three
1 min read

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Island Tribe to keep fans protected as the sun shines on Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Island Tribe has been appointed as an Official Supplier of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in Cape Town, as momentum continues towards the biggest showcase of the sevens game on the planet.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Thu 23 June, 2022
1 min read
HSBC Rugby Sevens Hong Kong - Day 3
4 min read

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Seven magnificent moments from the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

Whet your appetite as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series prepares to return to Hong Kong for the first time in more than three years this November.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Wed 22 June, 2022
4 min read
2022 - Brazil win Sudamérica Rugby 7s
2 min read

REGIONAL FOCUS: SOUTH AMERICA

As Yaras continue to dominate in South America

In winning their 20th consecutive Sudamérica Rugby Sevens tournament, Brazil continues to top the regional tables.

REGIONAL FOCUS: SOUTH AMERICA

Thu 16 June, 2022
2 min read
Australia v Fiji 2021 PacificAus Sports Oceania Sevens
2 min read

Oceania Rugby

Oceania Rugby seeks to provide “best preparation possible” for showpiece tournaments through regional competitions

Two regional tournaments will take place in Auckland in June and July to help teams prepare for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, the Commonwealth Games 2022 and Rugby World Cup 2021.

Oceania Rugby

Thu 9 June, 2022
2 min read
Rob Vickerman Karl Tenana
3 min read

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Rob Vickerman: Olympic qualification means “every second counts” in new World Series format

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series commentator is already relishing what 2023 has to offer after a new blockbuster schedule was revealed on Tuesday, 31 May.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Thu 2 June, 2022
3 min read
HSBC France Sevens 2022 Women's
3 min read

RWC Sevens 2022

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022: 100 days to go

As the countdown to RWC Sevens 2022 heads into the final 100 days, we give you the lowdown on the showpiece tournament to get you excited for kick-off in Cape Town.

RWC Sevens 2022

Wed 1 June, 2022
3 min read
16x9 Graphic
5 min read

Rugby Sevens

Olympic qualification at stake as bumper HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 schedule announced

A blockbuster schedule for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 has been announced today with a full roster of teams and hosts as the dynamic, high octane Olympic sport continues to grow, evolve and engage new fans around the globe

Rugby Sevens

Tue 31 May, 2022
5 min read
HSBC London Sevens 2022
2 min read

HSBC Sevens Series

“I couldn’t be prouder” – Nick Malouf on Australia’s historic win in HSBC London Sevens

One of the most exciting men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series title races in recent memory will go right down to the wire when the competition concludes in Los Angeles at the end of August.

HSBC Sevens Series

Mon 30 May, 2022
2 min read
Global Partners
label.rwc7s2022.logo-alt-text
  • Rugby World Cup Limited © 2007 - 2022. All Rights Reserved.
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Rugby World Cup Sevens
  • World Rugby Media Zone
Website language
English
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • 日本語