Rugby Sevens is back baby! After getting our preview out just hours before Day 1 of sevens, we got to see why this sport is amazing. In short, it was an awesome day of rugby. Here are some of the most noteworthy events from opening day.
A Remarkable Win for USA Rugby Sevens
This is the game of the year so far. First, the defensive play by Matai Leuta to save a try. Then, Kevon Williams taking the ball from the scrum before offloading to Madison Hughes to score the game-winning try for Team USA. It is just so great to watch.
It is obviously a tough game to lose if you’re Kenya. You’re just inches away from sealing the deal against one of the best teams in the world and next thing you know, you start the Olympics 0-1. With their final pool game going against Ireland, it’s certainly a must-win for Shujaa to keep medal hopes alive.
The Americans’ final Pool C game is crucial. They need to beat South Africa to earn first place and have an easier matchup in the quarterfinals. If not, it could be a battle to come home with a medal.
Fiji Finds a Way to Win
In the opening match of the men’s tournament, Fiji came away with a narrow 24-19 victory. Japan led 14-12 at halftime but some poor passes and turnovers cost them the contest. Above all, to beat Fiji in rugby sevens, you need to be perfect and Japan was not in the second half.
In their second game, Fiji was slightly challenged against Canada, eventually beating them 28-14. The defending champions have looked rusty early on but they could get better as we move along. With their final pool match coming against Great Britain, we’ll now see how Fiji handles a legitimate contender.
Canada is Not Up for the Challenge
This is Canada’s men’s first appearance at rugby sevens in the Olympics so I’ll cut them a little slack. But, in their first match against Great Britain, they looked slow and asleep at the wheel. Granted, it was the second game of the day with a 9:30 am local kickoff time but it was tough to watch.
There is still an opportunity for Canada to make the quarterfinals. They need to beat Japan in Tuesday’s morning session and have Ireland beat Kenya. It’s not impossible but we’ll see how it all plays out. It’s why Canada vs. Japan is a must-see match in the next session.
Kenya Can’t Catch a Break in Rugby Sevens
What a tough couple of games for Kenya. After the gut-wrenching loss to the US I mentioned earlier, the Shujaa dropped their second game to the Blitzboks 14-5. Neither team scored in the second half, as Kenya couldn’t seem to get through the brick wall that was South Africa’s defense.
A win against Ireland would help solidify Kenya’s chances of making it to the quarterfinals. It would also give them credit on the world stage to show people that this team shouldn’t be taken lightly. I would argue that Kenya is the best team that’s better than their record shows. We’ll see how they perform Tuesday against the Irish sevens.
Conclusion
We round out the men’s pool stage on Tuesday with these games below:
- Canada vs. Japan (9:00 AM JST)
- Fiji vs. Great Britain (9:30 AM JST)
- Argentina vs. South Korea (10:00 AM JST)
- New Zealand vs. Australia (10:30 AM JST)
- Kenya vs. Ireland (11:00 AM JST)
- USA vs. South Africa (11:30 AM JST)
In addition, Tuesday will see our first placing and quarterfinal matches of the tournament. Stay tuned for more coverage as we’ll be back to recap Day 2 of rugby sevens at the Olympics.