The Blue team lost in the semi-finals against New Zealand

Mathieu WARNIER, Media365, posted on Sunday May 1, 2022 at 11:36 p.m.

His country qualified for the round of four at the expense of Fiji, and Lee Bleu did not find solutions to beat New Zealand and will face Ireland for third place in the stage of the Rugby Sevens World Championships being organized in Langford.

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 France 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 was not of the same resemblance at all. 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

A semi-final was a taste of revenge for the Habs, nine months after the heartbreak of the Olympic final in Tokyo. But it was the representatives of the southern hemisphere who 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 twice went to the Test, then at the end of the match, Rissy Puri Lin gave more power to New Zealand’s win (14-26). After finishing third in both Dubai’s matches and then fourth in Malaga and fifth in Seville, the Tricolores will have to battle Ireland, dominated by Australia in the other semi-final (5-26), to climb once again on the podium and stay in the Top rankings world rugby sevens circuit.