The New Zealand seven’s side have lost Sonny Bill Williams for the remainder of the Olympic tournament.
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Williams, twice a World Cup victor in the 15-man game, suffered the injury to his left ankle while carrying the ball into a tackle two minutes into the second half and immediately indicated to the bench that he needed help. “He has been replaced by Sione Molia who is one of the New Zealand Olympic rugby sevens team’s traveling reserves”.
Joe Webber, won’t play again after being medi-cabbed off late in the game with a shoulder injury.
The 31-year-old’s tournament exit is a major blow for New Zealand and the competition as men’s sevens rugby makes its Olympics bow.
Sonny Bill Williams is helped from the field in Rio after suffering injury.
The Auckland Blues-bound centre immediately indicated to the New Zealand bench that he required medical attention and was helped off the field.
The New Zealanders struggled to get possession in the first, while Japan defended well after the break.
Japan took an early lead through a try from Teruya Goto that Lomano Lemeki converted.
Williams, a two-time World Cup victor in the 15-man game, injured his left ankle after crashing into two Japan defenders early in the second-half at Deodoro Stadium.
Japan are ranked 10th out of the 12 teams taking part in Rio and forward Lote Tuqiri said a large part of their game plan had been about stopping Williams’s trademark offload.
“It was unbelievable”, Japan back Lemeki said. “You never think you would see a minnow team come here and beat a gold medal contender”.
“I’m still shocked to be honest”.
Lemeki felt their dejected opponents took his side lightly.
“It means any team can win on any day in sevens”.
“That was insane”, Lemeki said.
But he now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as New Zealand look to regroup following a miserable opening result.
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It was one of three upsets on captivating day one of the men’s sevens with Australia falling 31-14 to France and Argentina also surprising U.S. 17-14.
