PARIS WRAP

ENGLAND finished fourth at the Paris Sevens last Sunday after losing 12-5 to New Zealand in the bronze medal match.

A Will Edwards try was the only score of a physical first half as England went in 5-0 up, but New Zealand hit back in the second half through Sam Dickson and Sherwin Stowers tries.

Simon Amor’s men started day two without Tom Bowen and Dan Biddy who suffered injuries in the pool stage, but they rallied to beat the USA 26-12 in the quarter-finals.

However Scotland, who had just dispatched of Fiji 24-0, proved too stong edging it 19-17 despite a hat trick from Dan Norton.

England’s loss in the semi-final combined to Fiji’s in the quarters meant that South Africa were crowned World Sevens Series champions once they beat New Zealand in the semi-finals.

They went a step further and avenged their opening pool defeat to Scotland to clinch their fifth tournament of the season.

After failing to reach the Cup draw once more, Wales started day two with a 2614 win over Spain but their tournament ended in the semi-finals of the Challenge Trophy with a 14-12 defeat to Australia.