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The Men’s Eagles are headed back to the Olympics. A perfect opening day at the London Sevens earned a spot in the Quarter Finals for the USA and with it a guaranteed place among the top four finishers on the overall 2018-19 HSBC Sevens Series table. The distinction is accompanied by tickets to Tokyo 2020.
Two other teams also claimed their spot on opening day. Fiji and New Zealand have earned their place, leaving just one automatic spot up for grabs between South Africa and England. The Blitzboks are now heavy favorites after England failed to make the Quarter Finals after a surprise defeat to Ireland.
A dominant win over Spain started the day on the front foot for the Eagles as Carlin Isles picked up a couple first half tries. The second and third matches would not be so easy.
Ben Pinkelman and Perry Baker each touched down twice and it was the boot of Madison Hughes that saved them as Wales mounted a late comeback to ultimately fall just two points short. It was a similar story against Australia with a Hughes conversion earning the win after a late try from Stephen Tomasin.
Canada effectively earned their spot in the Cup Quarter Finals after edging Argentina by two points in their opening match. South Africa were well ahead in game two, but Japan proved little more than a speed bump for Adam Zaruba. The big man led the way with a hat trick in a dominant victory.
Argentina also took their frustrations out on Japan after the loss to Canada. Francisco Ulloa picked up a pair of tries to stretch the final score to 36-7. It would have taken a herculean effort to stop South Africa in their third match, and it proved too difficult though Franco Sábato scored twice in the defeat.
North America is guaranteed a spot in the Semi Finals as Canada will play against the USA in the third Cup Quarter Final. The Pumas drop into the Challenge Trophy bracket and will start their consolation journey against Spain in the first match of Day Two.
DAY ONE RESULTS
POOL A
Argentina 12 – 14 Canada
South Africa 49 – 0 Japan
Argentina 36 – 7 Japan
South Africa 45 – 14 Canada
Canada 31 – 12 Japan
South Africa 40 – 21 Argentina
POOL B
Samoa 14 – 22 France
Fiji 24 – 17 Kenya
Samoa 20 – 21 Kenya
Fiji 31 – 10 France
France 31 – 17 Kenya
Fiji 26 – 17 Samoa
POOL C
New Zealand 21 – 7 Scotland
England 17 – 21 Ireland
New Zealand 34 – 7 Ireland
England 24 – 21 Scotland
Scotland 12 – 43 Ireland
England 17 – 12 New Zealand
POOL D
Australia 28 – 10 Wales
USA 29 – 5 Spain
Australia 42 – 12 Spain
USA 28 – 26 Wales
Wales 21 – 17 Spain
USA 19 – 17 Australia
DAY TWO FIXTURES
Sun, May 26 – 09:30 local / 04:30 ET – TROPHY QF – Argentina vs Spain
Sun, May 26 – 09:52 local / 04:52 ET – TROPHY QF – England vs Samoa
Sun, May 26 – 10:14 local / 05:14 ET – TROPHY QF – Wales vs Japan
Sun, May 26 – 10:36 local / 05:36 ET – TROPHY QF – Kenya vs Scotland
Sun, May 26 – 10:58 local / 05:58 ET – CUP QF – South Africa vs Australia
Sun, May 26 – 11:20 local / 06:20 ET – CUP QF – New Zealand vs France
Sun, May 26 – 11:42 local / 06:42 ET – CUP QF – USA vs Canada
Sun, May 26 – 12:04 local / 07:04 ET – CUP QF – Fiji vs Ireland
