The Fiji men’s and women’s teams fought strongly but ultimately fell short in their respective medal matches amidst fierce competition at Kai Tak Stadium, where Argentina and New Zealand claimed the men’s and women’s silverware, respectively.
In the men’s competition, Fiji found themselves in a tight battle for the bronze medal but were narrowly edged out by Australia, who won 22-21 in a heart-stopping finish. The match came down to a dramatic last-minute try by Australian teenager, Sidney Harvey, sealing the win in what was an intense and tightly contested clash.
The men’s team was relegated to the bronze medal play-off after losing to France 24-17 in the semi-final.
In the women’s competition, Fiji picked up 12 points to leapfrog Great Britain into seventh place after a 19-7 win over the USA in the fifth-place playoff. Despite the victory, the women’s team fell short of confirming their spot in the World Championship. For now, New Zealand, Australia, France, the USA, Canada, and Japan are confirmed.
The men, on the other hand, have secured their place alongside Argentina, Spain, South Africa, France, New Zealand, Australia, and Great Britain. Argentina’s first win in Hong Kong also saw them extend their lead at the top of the series table to 12 points ahead of Fiji.
Photo: World Rugby Media
