New Zealand secured a spot at the 2024 Olympics

New Zealand won the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens and qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics in a second day of action at the Singapore Sports Hub.

Brady Rush scored the decisive try in the final against Argentina as the All Blacks won their first HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series title since 2005 in Singapore.

Samoa lost to Argentina in the semi-finals and the All Blacks Sevens have already secured their place in Paris before playing Fiji in their next match.

New Zealand, who became the first men’s team to book a ticket to the Games apart from hosts France, won their third gold medal this season with a 19-10 semi-final win over Las Pumas Sevens.

Each team had won one of those finals, but New Zealand got off to a fast start when they raced to a 12-0 lead in the first half.

However, the All Blacks sevens conceded a try to Joaquin Bellandini, who then, in a sin-bin with Dylan Collier, allowed German Schulz to cut it to two points.

Rush, however, capitalized on an errant Argentina lineout to extend New Zealand’s lead with a converted try less than six minutes from time.

Pumas Sevens pushed hard for a third try, but when it did come, through Marcos Moneta, it had no impact on the result as it was on the red clock. The All Blacks Sevens celebrated their second title in consecutive weeks.

“All the boys know we represent our families, friends and everyone in New Zealand,” Collier said. “It’s been a huge effort, an unbelievable effort, over the last couple of weeks.”

With this victory, the New Zealand team, which is at the top of the points table, has taken a lead of 24 points. With a maximum of 42 available in Toulouse and London, the All Blacks Sevens will clinch the series title if they reach the final in France next month.

Fiji extended Samoa’s long wait for bronze

Fiji came from 19-7 down to beat Samoa 24-19 to win the bronze medal at the Singapore Sports Hub.

Samoa beat Fiji 28-7 on the opening day and looked poised to win their first series bronze since finishing third in Port Elizabeth in December 2013, with Wa Abelu Maliko helping his side to a 12-game points lead.

However, tries from Ioane Deba and Joseva Talagolo leveled the scores before Tuna Tuitama was shown a yellow card, and Derio Tamani Wailava made the most of it, scoring his second try of the game to seal the win for Fiji.

Samoa, who have lost 10 straight bronze medal matches in the series, are two points and one place outside the Olympic qualifiers.

Australia has scored “valuable” points for its Olympic dream

Australia secured fifth place with a 24-21 win over Great Britain, with two games to play for the fourth and final Olympic qualification spot.

John Manenti’s side lost to Argentina in the quarter-finals, but played in the top eight for the second time in the series, beating 11th-placed Uruguay to set up a meeting with Great Britain. France won bronze last weekend after defeating Les Bleus Sevens.

Australia led the race for fifth place with the British from the third minute and Dietrich Roach was the star with a try, two conversions and Darby Lancaster’s first of two tries.

Spain ranked ninth and the United States thirteenth

Spain will finish 11th, a point behind Uruguay, after Nicolas Nieto, Jaime Mata, Manu Moreno and Alejandro Laforgo scored in a 26-10 win over Kenya to finish ninth.

The Lyons Sevens, which saw direct rivals Uruguay advance to the quarter-finals, beat the USA and South Africa to set up the final against Kenya, winning all three games in two days.

Two tries in each half completed a perfect second day and leave them heading into the main tournament in Toulouse with 48 points, one point behind Uruguay in 11th place. The eleventh team will secure their place in the 2024 series, and whoever finishes first in the following match will be the team that avoids the play-offs.

Perry Baker scored in the final game of the 13th place tiebreaker to give his team a 22–17 victory over Canada.

The Eagles Sevens were heading for a third loss in Singapore when Baker came off the bench to score two late tries to stretch the US series winning streak against their North American rivals to eight games.