Rugby 7 – World Tour: Les Bleues finished fourth

Mathieu WARNIER, Media365, posted on Monday, May 2, 2022 at 8:40 a.m.

After a difficult qualification in the quarter-finals against Fiji, the Blues were unable to avenge New Zealand in the semi-finals. The French team finally finished fourth in the World Rugby 7s Circuit stage held in Langford, after their final defeat against Ireland.

Les Bleues does not stop at Langford. After defeating Brazil, Japan and Ireland to take the top spot in their group, the vice Olympic champions of Rugby 7s were invited to the semi-finals of the World Circuit stage organized in Langford. For this purpose, the Habs captured the best of the Fijians. Quarter-finals could not have started in a worse way for the French team. In the first three minutes, Alowesi Nakoci and Reapi Ulunisau tricked the vigil of the tricolor defense to flatten the first two attempts of the encounter, all altered by Viniana Riwai. It took until the last minutes of Act One to watch Les Bleues react with Chloé Pelle’s last-gasp attempt before the break. The second chapter wasn’t quite the same. Indeed, players David Cortex and German Igarza did not allow Fiji to breathe during these seven minutes. Choral Bertrand set the tone before Jade Ulutule imitated it. The final moments of the match were an opportunity for Camille Grasino to sign a double. With this win (31-14), the French national team ratified their ticket to the semi-finals, with New Zealand being their opponent.

New Zealanders are once again strong on the blues

Semi-final match Taste the Hab’s revenge, nine months after the heartbreak of the Olympic final in Tokyo. But It was the representatives of the Southern Hemisphere who once again sought victory. Alena Saili launched hostilities from the second minute but Chloe Bailey and then Camille Grasino reversed and allowed Lee Bleu to take the lead at the end of the first half. However, the last seven minutes saw New Zealand impose their game and put themselves out of reach for the French side. In four minutes, Michaela Blade went on the experiment twice and then, At the end of the match, Rissi Buri Lin gave more power to New Zealand’s victory (14-26). After winning the third place in each of the two rounds of Dubai, then the fourth place in Malaga and the fifth in Seville, The Habs group will have to battle Ireland, who are dominated by Australia in the other semi-final (5-26), to reach the podium again. And stay on top of the Rugby 7s world tour rankings.

Les Bleues miss the boat

Les Bleues failed at the foot of the platform. On the night of Sunday to Monday, on the occasion of the World Rugby Sevens Circuit, for the contested fifth and penultimate stage on the Langford side in Canada, the French women’s team lost to Ireland. (22-14), the match for third place. However, the Tricolores started their meeting perfectly, with an attempt, right from the start, scored by Séraphine Okemba (1st place), Then it was transformed by Jade Ulutule. But before the break, the Irish reversed the situation, thanks to two attempts scored by Crowe (fourth and sixth). This same player did it again in the second act, with a new double (8, 11), while only her last attempt, was diverted by Mulhall. In the meantime, Habs has returned to one small point, thanks to an attempt by Noel (X), then changed by Shannon Isar. But this was not enough. In the Grand Final, Australia beat New Zealand (21-17). The sixth and final stage will take place between 20 and 22 May near Toulouse.