South Africa has celebrated their qualification for the men’s Rugby Sevens event at the upcoming Paris Olympics after a 14-5 victory over Britain in the final of the Repechage qualification tournament held in Monaco. The team’s triumph was secured through impressive tries by Quewin Nortje and Shilton van Wyk in the first half, giving them a nine-point lead at halftime. Despite both teams failing to score in the second half, South Africa emerged as the victors.
After claiming bronze at the 2016 Olympics but finishing fifth in Tokyo 2020, South Africa faced a challenging journey to secure their place in Paris. Following an unexpected defeat by Kenya in the final of the African qualifiers last September, the team had to navigate through the Repechage tournament. Moreover, they have encountered difficulties in maintaining their form since former coach Neil Powell departed to join the Durban-based Sharks at the beginning of the 2022-23 United Rugby Championship season.
Meanwhile, China’s women’s team secured their place in the Paris competition with a convincing 24-7 win over Kenya in their final match. Chen Keyi’s two tries contributed to China’s dominant performance, marking their second consecutive qualification for the Olympics after finishing seventh in the Tokyo Games.
In Paris, China will join defending champions New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and Britain among 11 other countries in the women’s Rugby Sevens field. The Rugby Sevens competition at the Olympics is set to take place from July 24-30 at the Stade de France.
The world eagerly awaits the thrilling Rugby Sevens event at the upcoming Paris Olympics. With South Africa and China securing their spots in the men’s and women’s competitions, respectively, fans can anticipate an exciting showcase of talent and athleticism as these teams vie for gold on the global stage.