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Women's Olympic Sevens quarter-final line-up decided as Ireland squeak through
The full Paris 2024 women’s quarter-final line-up has been confirmed following another action-packed session of sevens at Stade de France.
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New Zealand, Australia and hosts France each head into the last eight unbeaten having completed a clean sweep of their pool-stage matches with victories against Fiji, Ireland and USA respectively on Monday afternoon.
USA had already qualified for the quarter-finals ahead of their defeat to France and finished Pool C in second behind Les Bleues Sevens, while Canada beat China to the runners-up spot in Pool A, winning the sides’ encounter 26-17. Great Britain claimed a 26-17 victory against South Africa to do likewise in Pool B.
China could console themselves with a place in the quarter-finals as the second best third-placed team, with Ireland sealing seventh seed for the knockout stages despite their energy-sapping 19-14 defeat to Rio 2016 gold medallists, Australia.
Having potentially come within an Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe knock-on of beating Australia, Ireland will get another crack at the SVNS Grand Final winners on Monday evening when the teams meet for the second time on day two, in the quarter-finals.
The Black Ferns Sevens, meanwhile, will play China – who they beat 43-5 on Sunday – in the quarters, while Great Britain will take on USA and France meet Canada.
Earlier Japan secured their first ever Olympic pool-stage victory, beating Brazil 39-12 to maintain their slim hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.
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China ultimately edged them to the final place in the last eight on points difference, and Japan must now prepare for a ninth-place semi-final against South Africa. Fiji will play Brazil in the other ninth-place semi-final.
Monday’s action will resume at 20:00 local time (GMT+2) when the ninth-placed semi-finals kick off before the quarter-finals get underway an hour later.
