World Rugby Sevens Series
2018 Paris Sevens
Round 10
9-10 June, 2018
Stade Jean Bouin, Paris
South Africa will be hoping for a miracle to retain their
World Rugby Sevens championship as they head into Round 10,the final tournament of the 2017/18 season, set for Stade Jean Bouin in Paris on June 9 and 10.
The Biltzboks suffered a 21-17 defeat to series leaders Fiji in the final of the London Sevens this past weekend, a result which leaves Neill Powell’s team seven points adrift in second place.
South Africa can still win the championship for a second successive year, but they will need to win the Paris Sevens and hope that Fiji are eliminated in the quarterfinals (or earlier) in the Cup competition.
The Fijians have won the last four tournaments in succession and five of the last six, so even though have been drawn in a tough pool for the first round – where they will come up against Samoa, Kenya and New Zealand – it’s still hard to see them exiting in the last eight or earlier.
As for the Biltzboks, they will come up against Scotland, Russia and Canada in a very kind draw which should see them top their pool and likely face Ireland or Wales in the Cup quarterfinals (with Australia and Spain making up the rest of that group).
Hosts France will also look for a strong showing in Paris after falling to Wales in the quarterfinals of the Challenge Trophy last weekend, and they will have to up their game for tough pool clashes with England, USA and Argentina.
While most of the focus will fall on the fate of Fiji and South Africa at the top of the log in the race for the title, there is also interest at the bottom of the standings where Russia currently occupy the core relegation position and are set to be replaced by Japan for the 2018/19 season.
Saturday schedule (all times CAT)
09h00 – Pool C, Australia v Wales
09h22 – Pool C, Ireland v Spain
09h44 – Pool B, Canada v Russian
10h06 – Pool B, South Africa v Scotland
10h28 – Pool A, New Zealand v Kenya
10h50 – Pool A, Fiji v Samoa
11h12 – Pool D, USA v Argentina
11h34 – Pool D, England v France
11h56 – Pool C, Australia v Spain
12h18 – Pool C, Ireland v Wales
12h40 – Pool B, Canada v Scotland
13h02 – Pool B, South Africa v Russia
13h24 – Pool A, New Zealand v Samoa
13h46 – Pool A, Fiji v Kenya
14h08 – Pool D, USA v France
14h30 – Pool D, England v Argentina
17h24 – Pool C, Wales v Spain
17h46 – Pool C, Ireland v Australia
18h08 – Pool B, Russia v Scotland
18h30 – Pool B, South Africa v Canada
18h52 – Pool A, Kenya v Samoa
19h14 – Pool A, Fiji v New Zealand
19h36 – Pool D, Argentina v France
19h58 – Pool D, England v USA
Sunday schedule, Cup matches only (all times CAT)
10h13 – Cup Quarterfinal 1, 1
st Pool A v 2
nd Pool D
10h35 – Cup Quarterfinal 2, 1
st Pool C v 2
nd Pool B
10h57 – Cup Quarterfinal 3, 1
st Pool D v 2
nd Pool A
11h19 – Cup Quarterfinal 4, 1
st Pool B v 2
nd Pool C
14h03 – Cup Semifinal 1, Winner Cup QF1 v Winner Cup QF2
14h25 – Cup Semifinal 2, Winner Cup QF3 v Winner Cup QF4
18h29 – Cup Third-place playoff, Loser Cup SF1 v Loser Cup SF2
18h54 – Cup Final, Winner Cup SF1 v Winner Cup SF2
2017-18 World Rugby Sevens Series standings, top 10
1 – Fiji – 167 points
2 – South Africa – 160
3 – New Zealand – 133
4 – Australia – 118
5 – United States – 105
6 – England – 103
7 – Kenya – 101
8 – Argentina – 97
9 – Canada – 61
10 – Samoa – 58
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