HONG KONG — The semifinals are set for both the men’s and women’s competitions at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens after an exciting day of quarterfinal action on Saturday.
In the men’s tournament, defending champions New Zealand booked a semifinal clash with Australia after battling through the knockout rounds. The All Blacks Sevens defeated the United States 12-7 in their final pool match before rallying for a 19-12 comeback win over Fiji in the quarterfinals.
They will face an Australian side that has been in strong form, setting up an Oceanic derby in the semis. Ireland and France complete the final four after winning their respective quarterfinals and will meet in the other men’s semifinal.
Series leaders Argentina were eliminated despite a 17-14 victory over Great Britain in their last pool game.
On the women’s side, New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens suffered a surprising 26-21 loss to France in pool play but both teams advanced to the semifinals. New Zealand regrouped to beat Canada 26-5 in the quarters while France cruised past Ireland 31-7.
The Black Ferns will take on Australia in the semifinals after the Aussies earned a hard-fought 12-0 win over Japan. The United States also looked impressive in a 33-7 quarterfinal victory against Fiji and will face France in the other semifinal matchup.
The tournament is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a record 24 teams competing across the men’s and women’s events. It is the last year the Sevens will be held at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium before moving to the new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Sports Park in 2024.
