Daily Times

TOKYO: Defending champions Fiji set up a pool B decider with reigning silver medallists Britain after scraping past hosts Japan and outgunning Canada on the opening day of the Olympic men’s rugby sevens at Tokyo Stadium on Monday. Fellow sevens powerhouses New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the United States, also came through action unbeaten, but Japan went on to suffer a second loss to drastically slash their Cup hopes. After winning the inaugural sevens competition in Rio in 2016, beating Britain 43-7 in the final, Fiji came to Tokyo as hot favourites to nail down back-to-back gold.

But they made a shaky start at an empty stadium in hot, humid conditions, almost undone by two Fijian exports in the Japan side in their opening match. Tries by Fiji-born Lote Tuqiri and Kameli Soejima had given the host nation a 19-12 lead, with alarm bells ringing that an upset mirroring Japan’s stunning victory over New Zealand in the opening round of the Rio Games was on the cards. But a late brace of tries by Waisea Nacuqu pushed Fiji back into the lead and an eventual 24-19 victory. The Fijians then laboured past Canada, who lost 24-0 to Britain, 28-14 to set up a pool decider with the British team on Tuesday.

Britain followed up on their win over Canada by blanking Japan 34-0 and will head into the final pool game against the Fijians full of confidence. The USA also boasted two wins from two in the same pool after recording a dramatic 19-14 opening victory over the Kenyans, before edging the Irish qualifiers 19-17. New Zealand, who failed to make the podium in Rio, crushed South Korea 50-5 before turning on the style to see off Argentina, 29-19 winners over Australia in their opener, 35-14 in Pool A.