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Argentina overcame their disappointing opening day to win all three matches on Day Two of the Paris 7s and come away as Consolation Trophy winners. To do so they had to navigate tricky waters. Captain Gastón Revol save the day in the Trophy Quarter Final with a late try lifting the team past Kenya.
Canada were even tougher, taking a 14-5 lead into halftime thanks to a pair of Justin Douglas tries. Again the Pumas left it late but José Barros Sosa notched the game winner to put them into the Trophy Final. They saved their best for last as five different players touched down to sweep Australia aside and clinch the Trophy.
The loss to the Pumas ended Canada’s day early. Without key playmaker Lucas Hammond the team struggled to repeat the form that earned them an historic Cup victory in Singapore. It was the second half of the match against Argentina that did them in, having dispatched Russia with ease in their first game and playing well in the opening seven minutes against the Pumas. With one tournament left they will be desperate to end their season on a high note.
Cup hopefuls USA didn’t stay that way for long, losing their Quarter Final match-up against England in decisive fashion. They redeemed themselves somewhat with wins over an out-of-sorts Fijian side and then beat the improving Samoa to claim 5th place overall. Perry Baker scored two more tries to end on eight, good enough for tops in the tournament in both tries and points scored.
It was South Africa who had the final say yet again, defeating the surprisingly strong Scotland to win their fifth tournament of the season and clinch the 2016-17 HSBC Sevens Series overall title. Now more than 30 points ahead of second-place England, the Blitzbokke have left no doubt as to who the best team was on this year’s circuit.
The circuit concludes next weekend at Twickenham. Argentina and Canada are now neck-and-neck with only one point separating them, Canada currently with the slight edge in 8th place. The USA are virtually certain of finishing in 5th overall, one spot higher than the last two seasons and their highest ever placing.
DAY TWO RESULTS
TROPHY QUARTER FINALS
Canada 33 – 0 Russia
Kenya 7 – 12 Argentina
Australia 28 – 19 Japan
Wales 26 – 14 Spain
CUP QUARTER FINALS
Scotland 24 – Fiji
England 26 – 12 USA
Samoa 0 – 12 South Africa
New Zealand 14 – 0 France
13th PLACE SEMI FINALS
Russia 15 – 7 Kenya
Japan 26 – 19 Spain
TROPHY SEMI FINALS
Canada 14 – 15 Argentina
Australia 14 – 12 Wales
5th PLACE SEMI FINALS
Fiji 14 – 24 USA
Samoa 21 – 19 France
CUP SEMI FINALS
Scotland 19 – 17 England
South Africa 26 – 5 New Zealand
13th PLACE FINAL
Russia 10 – 19 Japan
TROPHY FINAL
Argentina 33 – 12 Australia
5th PLACE FINAL
USA 24 – 19 Samoa
BRONZE FINAL
England 5 – 12 New Zealand
CUP FINAL
Scotland 5 – 15 South Africa
