Fiji won the USA Sevens in Las Vegas on Sunday, boosting their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2016 Olympics by beating New Zealand 35-19 in the final at Sam Boyd Stadium.
The top four teams on the HSBC Sevens World Series at the end of the season will qualify automatically for Rio, when rugby will return to the Games for the first time since 1924. After five of the nine series events, South Africa leads the standings from New Zealand, Fiji and Australia.
South Africa’s Blitzbokke finished third in Vegas, after beating the US Eagles 31-0 in a play-off. The Eagles recorded their best tournament finish since 2010 after drawing with South Africa in pool play and beating Canada 20-0 in the last eight. Mike Friday’s team were beaten 26-12 by New Zealand in the last four.
“I think the boys as a group are incredibly resilient and they showed the capacity they can play at all weekend,” said back Nick Edwards. “Unfortunately we lost the two matches today and fell a bit short, but we know as a group we have the belief and the passion and the heart to come out and do it again.
“As the season progresses, you’re gong to see us getting stronger. The ruthlessness the guys can bring is something we need to continue for 14 minutes. Play a complete match at 14 minutes is our focus going forward.”
The USA are now seventh on the series ladder and the Canadians 13th. They are set to contest one Olympic place at the North American and Caribbean qualifying tournament, scheduled for Cary, North Carolina, on 13 and 14 June. The losing team will then progress to a global repechage tournament.
Australia beat England, fifth on the ladder, for the consolation Plate title, while France beat Argentina for the Bowl and Canada beat Samoa for the Shield.
The series now moves on to Asia with the next stops in Hong Kong 27–29 March and then Japan on 4-5 April.
