South Africa, France, Fiji and Australia won through to Saturday’s medal semi-finals on a thrilling night of knockout rugby at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The Blitzboks ended New Zealand’s medal hopes with a defensive masterclass in the opening quarter-final, before hosts France played their best rugby at Paris 2024 to get the better of Argentina.
Ireland threatened to spring a major shock against Fiji, before Australia eased past USA.
Here’s how the second evening’s action played out.
NEW ZEALAND 7-14 SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa – the lowest-ranked team in the quarter-finals – pulled off a surprise 14-7 win over Tokyo Olympic finalists and Pool A toppers New Zealand to book their place in the last four in Paris.
The Blitzboks raced into a 14-0 first-half lead, courtesy of tries from captain Selvyn Davids and Tristan Leyds – the latter a remarkable length-of-the-field affair as Davids turned defence into attack in a flash.
Moses Leo pulled New Zealand back into contention with a try deep into added time at the end of the first period. But they could not break down a remarkable South African defence that was repeatedly stretched but scrambled and battled for phase after phase to keep them at bay.
ARGENTINA 14-26 FRANCE
South Africa will play France in the last four, after they overcame Argentina 26-14 in thrilling fashion in the most anticipated quarter-final of the evening.
With a packed Stade de France cheering them on, France played their best rugby of the tournament so far, racing into a 21-0 first-half lead. Andy Timo scored their first try after four minutes, finishing a long period in attack in exultant fashion.
And Aaron Grandidier Nkanang scored twice in two minutes to get a partisan Stade de France party crowd on their feet.
Rodrigo Isgro pulled one back for Argentina early in the second half, and Marcos Moneta added a second with two minutes left on the clock, after Jordan Sepho was sin-binned to set French nerves tingling. But Les Bleus kept hold of the ball for the closing moments – and Antoine Dupont ghosted through a gap for the final word.
FIJI 19-15 IRELAND
Defending champions Fiji made it 16 wins from 16 Olympic matches – but only after Ireland had given them an almighty scare in the third quarter-final on a dramatic evening of rugby sevens at Stade de France.
A first-half double from Chay Mullins and a Zac Ward’s superb run-in early in the second period looked to have set Ireland well on the way to the shock of the tournament, after Iosefo Baleiwairiki had scored the game’s opening try.
But Joji Nasova and Waisea Nacuqu touched down in quick succession to overturn an eight-point deficit – by far the biggest Fiji have had to overcome in a knockout match at the Games and book a place in their third successive Olympic semi-final.
AUSTRALIA 18-0 USA
Tries from James Turner and Corey Toole were enough for Australia to book their place in the last four on the final match of quarter-finals night at Stade de France.
The Australians were just too organised for Mike Friday’s USA, and thought they had gone further ahead midway through the second period, but Toole was adjudged to have been forced into touch as he dived over in the corner.
As the seconds ticked down, Maurice Longbottom kicked a rare penalty – only the third in Olympic history – to confirm Australia’s place in the medal semi-finals. And there was still time for him to round off the scoring with a late try.
New Zealand will play Argentina and Ireland will face USA as Saturday’s action kicks off with the fifth-place semi-finals.
9TH-PLACE SEMI-FINALS
Earlier in the evening, Samoa’s Paul Scanlan scored two of their six tries as they picked up their first win of the Olympic Games, beating Japan 42-7 to book their place in Saturday’s ninth-place play-off. They will meet ex-pool rivals Kenya, who beat Uruguay 19-14 in the first period of sudden-death extra-time. Patrick Odongo Okong’o raced away for the crucial score.
Uruguay and Japan will face off in the 11th-place play-off.
