As big an upset as their 15-man side’s victory over the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup past year, Japan’s win was their first in 16 attempts against the 12-times world sevens series champions.
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The tournament marked the first time since 1924 that rugby has been played at the Olympics and the debut for sevens, the previous four incarnations featuring the men’s 15-a-side format.
Akira Ioane powered through some poor defense to give New Zealand a 12-7 lead not long after but the usually clinical team in black couldn’t close out, and conceded a late try to Komeli Soejima which Katsuyuki Sakai converted for the win.
“We certainly up held the values of the Olympic movement, and rugby”, he said.”I think we have created a very sustainable future for rugby sevens at the Olympic Games”. Now it’s the Olympics.
“We are going to let these girls go out and tell the story, that will help us generate more revenue and invest it in the game”, said Tim Powers, chair of the board of Rugby Canada. Numbers are coming in.
Segawa had said the win over New Zealand would give his side confidence ahead of the game with Britain.
As the Japan squad celebrated, the New Zealand team left the Deodoro Stadium without comment but later confirmed Williams had a partial rupture of his left Achilles tendon and could take no further part in the tournament. You might play a team that is out of form but put them against a local team and all of a sudden their form lifts up and it is the same with the Aussies. “There are no given games these days”.
The injury means the Wallabies are assured of facing a relatively inexperienced All Blacks centre combination in all three Bledisloe Cup Tests, with veterans Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith retired from worldwide rugby after last year’s World Cup.
Tietjens said Japan showed against his team and in the narrow 21-19 loss to Britain that the competition was intense for the medals.
The Corinda resident made her worldwide debut in 2013 when she helped Australia win gold at the Youth Olympic Festival and was selected in the World Cup team. “Look what the 15s did in the World Cup”. When the Olympic Sevens competition finally kicked off, he spent about eight minutes on the field.
“I’m really pleased with the way the boys stuck at it, came together, didn’t panic and got the score we needed with Marcus Watson off the bench”.
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A win on Wednesday over Kenya, which had a breakthrough title on the world sevens circuit last season, would help Japan qualify for the quarterfinals.
