New Zealand Shines on Olympic Rugby Sevens Stage

Mixed fortunes for France as New Zealand dominate

Antoine Dupont scores a try against Uruguay in a hard-fought victory /

By Mohamed Bahaa

New Zealand emerged as a formidable force on the first day of the men’s Rugby Sevens at the Olympic Games in Paris, maintaining a flawless record along with Ireland, Australia, Argentina, and Fiji.
New Zealand and Ireland Set for Showdown

New Zealand and Ireland both secured consecutive victories, defeating Japan and South Africa in Pool A. These wins set the stage for a thrilling decider on Thursday to determine the top team in their pool.

In Pool B, Australia and Argentina mirrored this success by overcoming Samoa and Kenya, setting up their own showdown to decide who will lead their pool. Fiji, meanwhile, claimed convincing wins over Uruguay and the USA, placing them comfortably at the top of Pool C. Despite hosting the event, France had a challenging start, managing only a draw against the USA before narrowly defeating Uruguay.

French Struggles
The French team, buoyed by their fans, faced a tough day. Superstar Antoine Dupont managed to score a try in their second game against Uruguay, leading to a tense 19-12 victory. However, the opening match saw them held to a 12-12 draw by the USA, falling short of the home crowd’s expectations.

The day’s action commenced with Australia’s 21-14 victory over Samoa, followed by Argentina’s dominant 31-12 win against Kenya. Fiji showcased their prowess with a commanding 40-12 victory over Uruguay. Ireland started strong with a 10-5 win over South Africa, later overwhelming Japan 40-5 with tries from Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Chay Mullins, Harry McNulty, Niall Comerford, and Zac Ward.

Following the men’s competition, the women’s Rugby Sevens will commence on Sunday, July 28, with New Zealand aiming to defend their Olympic title.

Record-Breaking Attendance
The opening day set a new attendance record for a single day in rugby sevens history, with 69,000 fans packing the Stade de France. World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont expressed his delight: “We wanted to get the Games off to a spectacular start, but, wow, today was special. A single-day record crowd for rugby sevens, an incredible atmosphere, and of course, scintillating rugby. Sevens brought its A game, and the world was watching.”

Beaumont also paid tribute to the late Bernard Lapasset, a key figure in bringing rugby sevens to the Olympics and the Games to Paris: “He would have loved today, and it was great to welcome his family here. I’m sure he was looking down on a packed Stade de France and smiling.”

Day One Men’s Rugby Sevens Results
• Australia 21-14 Samoa
• Argentina 28-12 Samoa
• Ireland 10-5 South Africa
• Ireland 40-5 Japan
• New Zealand 17-5 South Africa
• France 19-12 Uruguay
• Argentina 31-12 Kenya
• Australia 21-7 Kenya
• Fiji 38-12 USA
• France 12-12 USA
• New Zealand 40-12 Japan
• Fiji 40-12 Uruguay

Day Two Men’s Rugby Sevens Results
• Australia 18-0 USA
• Fiji 19-15Ireland
• France 26-14 Argentina
• New Zealand 7-14 South Africa
• New Zealand 14-12 Ireland
• South Africa 49-5 Japan
• France 12-19 Fiji
• USA 33-17 Uruguay
• Australia 22-14 Argentina
• Samoa 26-0 Kenya