The Japanese, ranked 10th of the 12 teams at the tournament and hosts of the next Olympics, picked up where they left off on Tuesday with a 31-7 thumping of world sevens series regulars Kenya to ensure they would be in the last eight.
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New Zealand lost 12-7 to the Fijians, and although captain Scott Curry, who was forced to miss the game because of a leg injury, had a dig at the referee by stating that “none of the calls” went the Kiwis’ way, Tew was reluctant to go down that path.
“They pushed Britain very closely as well – perhaps that says it all”, veteran New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens said of Japan’s performance.
Starting as fourth favourites to be crowned the first Olympic rugby sevens champions, Watson and company’s opening display will have informed their rivals that they mean business in Brazil.
Gillies Kaka had replied for New Zealand off a chip and chase while his team mate Rieko Ioane was in the sin-bin but the Fijians were able to hold on at the end to book a semi-final against Japan.
South Africa will battle with Australia, while France clash with surprise package Japan – who recorded pool wins over New Zealand and Kenya – for a place in the semi-finals.
“They’re a good team”.
Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. “We had a lot of confidence and faith coming into the Olympics”.
Tew told TVNZ in Rio that injuries needed to be considered when factoring in reasons as to why the side failed to medal, but acknowledged the team just didn’t perform to expectations. We defended with six for a while and then put seven points on them and stayed in the game.
The win over South Africa at the World Cup a year ago set TV ratings records and caused a surge in interest in the game. Lemeki said that victory helped inspire the team, but he didn’t realize just how much.
Injera said after the match that they let themselves down in the game against New Zealand but made few mistakes. “We’re in the papers on the front and back pages every night, we’re in the 6 o’clock news every night”, he said.
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Fiji coach Ryan also played down perceptions of added pressure on his team.
