But a New Zealand squad containing Sonny Bill Williams ” a two-time World Cup victor in the 15-a-side game and the highest-profile star competing in rugby’s return to the Olympics after 92 years ” won as many titles (3) as Fiji on the 10-stop world sevens circuit.
Advertisement
“First time Japan has ever beaten our side, but that’s sevens rugby now”, New Zealand coach Gordon Tiejens said. “The gap has closed considerably”.
The second round of pool matches will be played later Tuesday, with the third round and quarterfinals set for Wednesday.
Japan’s 14-12 upset against New Zealand, its first ever in rugby sevens, and its narrow 21-19 loss to Britain turned the formbook in Pool C upside down.
“For most of us this is our last sevens series, so this is our only chance to prove to the world that Japan can beat any team”, Japan back Lote Tuqiri said.
Gold-medal contender New Zealand was expected to easily account for Japan, but went behind quickly when Teruya Goto dived over in the left corner and Lomano Lemeki converted from out wide.
In the other play-off matches on the final day, the U.S. beat France for fifth place, Spain overcame Fiji for seventh, with hosts Brazil beating Japan to ninth and Kenya finishing wtih a win over Colombia.
Still, he reckoned the performances at the Olympics were worth celebrating nearly as much as Japan’s win over South Africa a year ago in the traditional 15-a-side game, which ranked as the biggest upset ever at the Rugby World Cup. “Hopefully our win against New Zealand will boost it another level”.
New Zealand regained some confidence after its bad start with a 28-5 win over Kenya, which opened with a 31-7 loss to Britain.
Williams, the highest-profile player in the tournament after winning the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup titles with the All Blacks, carried the ball into a tackle just after halftime and stayed on the ground, holding his left ankle.
Playmaker Patricia Garcia and Amaia Erbina, who played in the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014, put Spain in control in the first half to live Fiji coach Chris Cracknell to challenge his players at half-time to “show what it meant to them” at half-time. “He’s obviously shattered and disappointed”, Tietjens said.
“I think hockey is as hard as any of the team games you play”, Charlesworth said.
Chloe Dalton, who kicked one of three conversions, took advantage of an overlap to go over for the third try with little more than two minutes remaining and that rendered Charity Williams’s score for Canada a consolation. Rugby, in the abbreviated sevens format, is returning to the Olympics for the first time in 92 years.
Advertisement
In Pool B, the battle for second is between France and Australia. The French had a surprising 31-14 win over the Australians in the opening game of the tournament and then lost 26-0 to South Africa.
