Easy Sailing for All Blacks 7s
The All Blacks 7s can clinch the men’s World Sevens Series crown if they win gold in Toulouse this weekend, as even a blank at the final event in London would still see them finish ahead of any other team.
Olympic champions Fiji find themselves 10 points behind Argentina and will hope to overtake Argentina.
With only New Zealand (and France, as hosts) having qualified for Paris 2024 so far, both Argentina and Fiji find themselves with a shot of securing their Olympic tickets in Toulouse.
The two teams currently sit 28 and 18 points clear of Australia respectively, meaning both teams can secure their berths as long as they gain enough points to hold at least a 22-point lead heading into the London event.
This weekend is the final round of women’s action and the penultimate (second last) round in the men’s series.
On the line will be the final women’s Paris 2024 Olympic spot available through this qualifying pathway, with three teams – Ireland, Fiji, and Great Britain – all still able to secure the final ticket awarded through the World Women’s Sevens Series.
New Zealand, Australia, and USA are the current top three in the standings and all have already mathematically secured their berths to the Olympic Games. France in fourth have qualified as hosts, meaning Ireland (64 points), Fiji (62), and Great Britain (60) are the teams duking it out for the final spot.
Great Britain enters the tournament on a high, having won bronze against Fiji to keep their hopes alive last time out in Hong Kong China. In the overall picture, New Zealand will officially secure the title again with a ninth-place finish or better. Their men’s counterparts are searching for a third consecutive win, having triumphed in both Hong Kong and then in Singapore to build a 22-point lead on Argentina with two events to go.
Saturday May 13, 2023
9:15 to 11:27- Women’s group stage; 11:37am to 2:33pm Men’s group stage; 2:42pm to 7:57pm - Women’s cup quarterfinals and 9th-12th semi-finals; 4:10pm to 8:25pm Men’s cup quarter-finals and 9th-16th quarter-finals.
Sunday May 14, 2023
9pm to 11:12am - Women’s cup semi-finals, 5th-8th semi-finals, 9th and 11th place play-offs; 11:20 am to 2:16pm - Men’s cup semi-finals, 5th-8th semi-finals, 9th-12th semifinals, 13th-16th semi-finals; 2:25pm to 3:09 - Women’s 5th and 7th place play-offs; 3:16pm to 4:22pm - Men’s 5th, 9th, and 13th place play-offs; 4:37pm to 6:20pm - Women’s and men’s gold and bronze finals.
– World Rugby 7s