RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Japan delivered a second seismic shock in less than a year, New Zealand lost one of the game’s biggest names to injury and there were thrills and spills aplenty as men’s rugby returned to the Olympics for the first time in 92 years on Tuesday.
If the Olympic livery around the Deodoro Stadium had not already made it apparent that this would be a sevens tournament like no other, Japan’s 14-12 defeat of New Zealand in the fourth match of the day proved it beyond any doubt.
As big an upset as their 15-man side’s victory over the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup last year, Japan’s win was their first in 16 attempts against the 12-times world sevens series champions.
To add injury to insult, Sonny Bill Williams partially ruptured his Achilles and Joe Webber dislocated his shoulder to rob the All Blacks of their highest profile player and one of their most influential.
“For that to happen in the first game of the tournament was devastating,” said coach Gordon Tietjens.
“(Sonny Bill) was obviously shattered and disappointed and so was Joe Webber.”
Japan were deserved winners and later proved it was no fluke by pushing Britain to the final hooter before going down 21-19 in their second Pool C match.
“We’re coming here, not just to make up the numbers,” said forward Lote Tuqiri. “We came here to give a good run to all the big boys.”
When the dust finally settled at the end of the opening day, Fiji, Britain and South Africa had qualified for Wednesday’s quarter-finals with two wins out of two.
New Zealand’s defeat was not the only upset of a dramatic morning, with Australia opening their Pool B campaign with a 31-14 loss to France and Argentina beating the United States 17-14 with a last-second try.
Hosts Brazil scored an early try against Fiji, but that would have been a sensation too far and the top seeds kept their composure to run out 40-12 winners.
The Pacific islanders, chasing their country’s first Olympic medal, later came through a bruising encounter with Argentina 21-14 to top Pool A.
Second seeds South Africa, favourites to win Pool B, were in no mood for upsets and they showcased their scorching backline pace in a 24-0 destruction of Spain and a 26-0 blanking of the French.
“We played pretty well, especially against France,” said coach Neil Powell.
“To keep a quality team like them scoreless tells a lot about our effort.”
Britain, who kicked off their campaign with an impressive 31-7 defeat of Kenya, top pool C going into Wednesday’s final opening stage match against New Zealand.
Both the All Blacks and Australia, whose women’s team won gold on Monday, rallied after the upsets to claim victories over Kenya and Spain respectively in their second matches.
The All Blacks came from behind to beat the Africans 28-5 and Tietjens thought his side would be better for it.
“They got a little bit of confidence out there today, it was a physical game and I thought we won the forward battle,” he added. “It’s going to be another out there tomorrow as Great Britain are a good side.”
(Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Bill Rigby)
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