Paris 2024: Plus ca change as Stade de France leaves an Irish side with all too familiar feelings

It wasn't all that long ago that an Irish rugby team played a major tournament knockout game at the Stade de France.

Unfortunately, we don't need any reminders about the outcome from the Rugby World Cup clash against the All Blacks last October.

But could the Irish Men's Sevens team find better fortunes and hurdle the last-eight barrier at this year's Paris 2024 Olympics against world class opponents?

That was what was at play at the Stade de France on Thursday once defeat to New Zealand in the afternoon's final pool match confirmed a night-time quarter-final against reigning Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 gold medalists Fiji.

James Topping's Irish side had gone into the day's action off the back of an impressive Wednesday featuring uber-efficient back to back wins over South Africa and Japan.

Had Ireland avoided an agonising defeat to the All Blacks Sevens, the easier side of the draw would have opened up.

Instead a late converted try by Ngarohi McGarvey-Black pushed Ireland into the clutches of a Fiji side which had earned plaudits from the stands during their own pool journey.

Still there was a relaxed atmosphere in the air on the walk from the metro stop to the Stade de France. Indeed, one supporter clad in a late 90's/early 2000s era Irish jersey with a number 10 on the back and the tricolour billowing behind him was leading a merry march of his pals along the avenue while testing out his Leaving Cert French.

'Allez Les Verts, Allez Les Verts!' Pitch perfect Monsieur, douze points and drawing a few smiles from some mildly confused local onlookers clad in blue. Chapeau!

It was a little less loud - just a bit - than the chants inside the stadium in the match which immediately preceded Ireland's quarter-final.

The hosts had their own