DAY OF UPSETS IN TOULOUSE
It was a day of upsets at the France Sevens in Toulouse. In the men’s competition for the first time, New Zealand failed to reach the quarterfinal stage.
It did not end there as series leaders South Africa also followed the same route. The last time this happened to the Blitzboks was at the 2013 Hong Kong 7s tournament.
Then Canada 7s champions Argentina, Australia and USA were also bundled out in the Cup quarterfinal stage.
The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s side thanked their lucky stars to reach the Cup semifinal after a close 19-17 win over USA.
The Fijians mounted a superb second half fightback to reach the semi-finals after they were 12-0 down at halftime.
The Fijians turned on the style, showing all of their offloading prowess, pace and power as they scored three tries in the space of four minutes in the second period.
Veterans Semi Kunatani and Josua Vakurinabili led Fiji’s comeback.
However, Steve Tomasin stretched over the line at the death to set up a dramatic finale.
The American missed the conversion that would have levelled the scores, but his side were given one final chance to attack after a penalty restart was awarded for foul play as Tomasin’s try was scored.
They opted for the scrum before attacking down the right wing, but Dmontae Noble was superbly tackled into touch by Napolioni Bolaca to send Fiji into the final four.
Fijiana in final four
The Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s side walloped South Africa 59-0 in their final pool game to make the Cup quarterfinal against France.
Home advantage wasn’t enough to push France into the semi-finals, as they came undone against a free-flowing Fiji side.
Les Bleues hadn’t conceded more than one try in any of their games in Toulouse, but Fijiana crossed the line three times before half time to accumulate what proved to be an unassailable lead.
Captain Rusila Nagasau added a fourth Fiji try early in the second half, but France finished with a flourish thanks to scores from Joanna Grisez and Ian Jason.