Four-try Perry Baker drew level with Carlin Isles on the all-time Olympic try-scorers’ list on Thursday afternoon, as USA, France and South Africa made sure of quarter-final places on the second day of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 men’s rugby sevens at Stade de France.
USA will face Australia in the last eight following Baker’s exploits against Uruguay on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, defending two-time champions Fiji extended their perfect Olympic record to finish top of Pool C and set up a quarter-final against Ireland.
Hosts France will face Argentina in Thursday evening’s quarter-finals in a repeat of the SVNS Grand Final, after finishing second in their Pool on points difference.
In the other quarter-final, New Zealand face South Africa. New Zealand left it late to win a dramatic Pool A decider against Ireland 14-12. While South Africa signed off from the pool phase with a convincing seven-try 49-5 victory over Japan to set up their quarter-final clash with the All Blacks Sevens.
Australia finished top of Pool B after beating Argentina 22-14 in the Pool B decider. Earlier, Samoa won the battle of the day-one crowd-pleasers as they beat Kenya 24-0 at a sun-soaked Stade de France.
Fiji sevens legend Jerry Tuwai – the only rugby player to hold two Olympic gold medals – scored as the defending champions maintained their perfect Olympic winning record, beating hosts France 19-12 in a thrilling and physical encounter to finish top of Pool C.
Earlier, Baker became the first man to score four tries in an Olympic sevens match as they beat Uruguay 33-17 to book their place in the knockout phase of the men’s rugby sevens competition with their second win in Pool C. Only Reapi Ulunisau, of Fiji’s women’s team, had scored four tries in a game before. Baker is now level with former team-mate Carlin Isles as the most prolific Olympic men’s try scorer, with nine.
The quarter-final action begins at 8pm (9pm SA time) with another packed house expected at Stade de France.
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